Until It Happens An Edward and Bella story
by Emma Dreams
Summary: What if Bella and Edward were best friends and the opposite poles? What if the line between friendship and love started to erase? All human!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

A normal day in Forks. The sun was in the sky even though the clouds were surrounding the blue, well I guess as it was summer; the sun had to be there no matter what.

Charlie had already gone to the Police Station, and I was alone. In peace. Eating my breakfast and enjoying the quiet. I finished quickly and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and peeped myself one more time in the mirror. I was still too white for July, but I guess being me – it was no surprise.

The sound of a horn made me jump. But the rhythm was just too familiar. God, did he always need to be so punctual?

I grabbed my bag and was already outside the house in a second.

"Hey Bell, why are you running?" My best friend laughed. "Late again, huh?"

"Ha ha," I mocked as I sat in the passenger's seat of his Volvo. "You know, Edward, some of us actually have something to do rather than speeding all night till sunrise in a Volvo."

He arched one eyebrow. "Yeah, like reading for example? What, are you reading _Wuthering Heights_ again?" His deep voice came husky, maybe because he'd been awake all night racing as he almost always did on summer.

I made a face. "Actually is Romeo and Juliet," I mumbled a bit ashamed. Yes, I was geek. I loved reading, so what? Sue me! I sometimes couldn't believe how two totally opposite people could go so well one with the other. Edward and I had been best friends since I first put a foot on this town when my mother Renee died and I came to live with my dad when I was seven. We had been inseparable for ten years now. But we were truly different. He was the popular guy, the best one of the swimming team. And overall, he was charismatic and… well - I had to admit, really handsome. And me, I was the total opposite. Not social at all, more of the indoors sports –with that I mean; reading and watching a movie from time to time, and I was completely average in beauty. I'd nothing that shocked people in my face; unlike Edward… his emerald eyes killed almost every girl on this town. I said almost, because I couldn't count me. He was my friend, almost like my brother.

"Sure," He amused. "Ready for a swimming party?" He gave me his Colgate smile.

I sighed, always the same with him… "You know I don't swim, Edward."

"We'll see that," He laughed as he pressed the gas pedal to the max to go to the lake to spend a sunny day together – as we did almost everyday of the summer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Come on, Bell! Look at the water, doesn't it look tasty?" Edward pushed standing one foot from the top of the lake and waving me to go to his spot.

"I DON'T SWIM!" I shouted back. Besides, I felt self conscious about being only in bikini. He was just Edward and all, I know… but well, we had grown up now, and it wasn't like if we were eight anymore. And in the deep I knew, that his body was just too perfect and well, I mine was just too average.

I sat on a rock and took the sun lotion out of my bag, when to wet hands touch my back unexpectedly.

"Ouch! You are cold!" I yelled to an all-wet Edward behind me. His childish face made me smile.

"Bell, it's summer here, on the earth, remember?" He amused as he sat by my side, putting his head back to see the sun.

"Well, my summer is a bit different than yours, alright? I actually like to be in touch with culture instead of always with water and parties and cars and girls!" I stuck my tongue at him.

"Oh, don't tell me that you don't die to go out with Jasper Hale! I've seen you see him during gym class, you almost drool over him." I dropped my eyes to the floor, but his stare was so intense that even though I wasn't look at him I turned crimson red. I couldn't believe he noticed about Jasper, I didn't even notice it myself so clearly! God, how could he know me so much?!

"I don't know what you are saying, Jasper is a jerk," I said. I didn't know if he could understand me, I was seriously mumbling.

"Only because he is in the football team?" He arched his eyebrow one more time. And I could heard the skeptical tone in his words. He was in a team as well.

I sighed again. "Not because of that, just because he's been with almost every girl of this town. And you know I don't like players…"

He stayed silent for some seconds and kicked a pebbled from the ground. "Romeo doesn't exist, you know… It's just a character," He shrugged and stood up.

"Maybe he does…" I mumbled under my breath and shrugged. We stayed quiet after that, but just for a minute.

He suddenly looked behind me with suspicious eyes. "Hey, what's that over there?" He said.

I turned around and looked at his spot too. "What's what?" I couldn't see anything rather than green and brown.

"Got you!" I heard him shout as I realized I had his arms around my torso lifting me and placing me on his chest. Oh – oh.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"No, no. Edward let me down, NOW!" I shouted as I tried to get out of his tight grip.

"No way, Bell. I'm taking you down with me!" He was running to the edge now, and I wasn't being able to get away.

I thought about something fast and that had always scared men. "I'm with my period!" I shouted as my face colored involuntarily.

He shook his head as he kept on running, how could he run so fast with me on top?!

"You are not,"

I clamped my teeth. "Oh! How can _you_ know that?"

He breathed deeply. "Because you are in a bad mood when you have your period, and much more sensitive… You'd probably be crying by now if that'd be the case."

"Psst," Was all I could say. I truly hated him sometimes; it was as if he was in my head. God.

"I know, huh? You can't fool me!" He laughed as if he was the killer of an horror movie and held me tighter to him. "You ready?"

I suddenly realized we were already there. This was it, the end, hasta pronto, au revoir.

Alright, maybe I was exaggerating, but anyway, I truly hated the water. I took a deep breathe anyway, there was no way back now. And besides he would never let me fall. I felt in the safest place when Edward was with me, there was nothing to fear.

So I nodded and shut my eyes close. "Please make it feel light,"

I heard a loud guffaw and then the wind all over my body.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The water found my body and wrapped me on its invincible cage. I was totally submerged for some seconds and starting to panic when two warm hands brought me to the surface just in time.

"You're not dead, you see?" Edward smiled while he held me in the water.

I coughed once to take out some water I'd accidentally let inside my body and exaggerate the act a bit so he'd feel bad for taking me with him. "I could be," I whined as I saw all the water that surrounded us. Unconsciously my fingers clenched to his shoulders.

"Hey, hey Bell, I won't let off you. Don't worry," He reassured me and then started to unclenched my fingers one by one. "Just relax, alright? Enjoy…"

I was still too tense but with each second passing by I tried to relax my body a bit more and let him put me in horizontal position, so now I could see the sky. My heart was beating really fast for the adrenaline, but it actually felt really nice. Something I wouldn't admit to him.

"Are you feeling fine?" He whispered quietly. I had my eyes closed so I couldn't see his face, but I felt it really close.

"Hmm," I tried to make an ugly face, but I was enjoying the time too much to pretend.

"Great," He laughed then, but stayed quiet in the same instant.

I opened my eyes at the same time. "WHAT?"

"Shh," He placed my head in the water again. "Sorry, it was funny watching you trying to fight with your own nature."

My eyes opened widely again. "You are saying I'm a fish?!"

He sighed. "Yeah Bella, a bagre." He rolled his eyes.

"Ew," I laughed. We stayed quite then.

He suddenly sighed heavily. "What?" I asked as I peeped to him that was now beside me, restraining me with one arm and in horizontal position as well. "Why are you sighing like that?"

His eyes were filled with anguish as he stared at mine. "I don't know what I am gonna do when'll go to college…"

I gulped and try to composed myself. "You'll be just fine, don't worry." I took his hand with mine, and rested it in my wet shirt.

"I won't, I know I won't, but anyway…" He shrugged. "You have to go on with your life; you're too intelligent to stay in this tiny town with the dumb ones."

"Don't say that!" I complained, but as I tried to make my point cleared I ended up drowning again. His hands restrained me with urge one more time. "Thanks," I breathed.

"No prob," His voice came husky this time and the anguish was still there.

"Edward you could go to any university if you wanted to, you know that. You are the best swimmer I've ever seen!"

He half smiled. "Yeah, well… we can consider that you don't watch that much TV, so…"

I throw him some water. "Shut up!" He laughed back. I tried to fake I was pissed off, but Edward's laughter was the most contagious one I've ever heard. I never could resist laughing myself – and this wouldn't be the first time.

We laugh for some time and then the seriousness invaded the water again. "I was saying Ed, that you have the same opportunities than I have,"

"You know I can't live Alice alone," His eyes turned dark. And I knew he was remembering that day. That awful, unbearable day. The day in which Edward's father, Carlisle, had a car accident. The whole family was on it: Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Alice and Esme. It wasn't fatal, but Alice took the worst part. She'd been in a wheelchair for seven years now. After that Edward had been her guardian angel, always there, almost as her father. He there vowed he'd never live her. And Edward wasn't one of breaking promises.

I took a deep breath, this topic always tensed me. It wasn't his fault, he shouldn't feel so responsible. "Alice is a big girl, Edward; she can take care of her on, no matter her condition." She was fifteen now and unbelievably independent for how she was. Even more, she was always happy. Laughing, dancing as she could, singing. I loved Alice, she rocked.

Edward sighed at my side, and put his chin on my shoulder. "Whatever, now I don't see College as a possibility…" I nodded. I couldn't push him, but I'd try to make him see reason later.

A gush of wind made me shiver. His arms wrapped my shoulders. "Are you cold? Maybe we should get going, it's gonna rain soon."

I nodded again, but I didn't feel cold like this. "Yeah, we better go."

"Be my guest," He smiled as he gestured me to wrap my legs on his back to start the journey to the safe land.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"So, you' coming tonight, right?" Edward asked as he parked in front of my house.

I sighed. I really didn't like social life that much. Romeo and Juliet were awaiting me in my room, and they were dying to come out.

"Come on, don't give me that sound! Jasper will be there…" He arched his eyebrows in a playful way.

God, would my face always sell me? WHY RED EXISTED? "I don't care about Jasper, and besides it's going to be cold tonight," I said as I tried to compose myself.

His eyes were skeptical as he messed his golden hair up – a habit he'd had since forever. "What am I gonna do with you, Bella?" He sighed. "It's a bonfire girl; you won't be cold at all."

I shrugged. He always had the answer. "But you'll be all night with Jessica and I'm sure Angela won't go, so I'll have to stay quiet in a side of a rock, far away from---" His index shushed me. Thank God, I was starting to lose it.

He shook his head and smiled. "Bella, Bella… Do you really believe I'll be with Jessica all night instead of enjoying you when I still can?"

I started to nod when he grabbed my face with both hands and shook it himself. "Not possible, no way I'm doing that…" I surrendered to the strength and started shaking my head myself.

"That's my girl, besides; I'm more worried about me. Jasper will be there…" His eyebrows arched one more time. I took his hands off my head with a tough movement and get off the car.

"You are a jerk, you know that?" I complained as I rolled my eyes at his smile.

"Yep, a jerk that loves you," He grinned.

"Whatever. Now get that nice butt of yours to your house; your parents might start worrying." I pointed him with my index in a mother-like way.

"Yes, ma'am," He made a soldier gesture and laughed. "I'll pick you up by ten. BE READY."

"Psst, when I'm not ready?" He glared at me as he pressed the gas pedal at the max one more time, to go to the Cullen's mansion.

Alright… what should I wear tonight?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was almost 10. And I, well, I was still in the shower. Romeo and Juliet didn't want to rest so they occupied almost all my day. Besides I'd to cook for Charlie – lasagna, yummy. And wash and clean up my room and blah blah blah.

So now, though I didn't want to admit it, I was late. As Edward told me _not_ to be. I took a quick shower not enjoying the warm water as I loved to do. The race to my room left wet spots everywhere. No time for drying now, I'd do that later.

I examined my tiny closet for some minutes. But I couldn't find anything to wear tonight. God, why was I acting this way? I really didn't care how other people saw me, I knew me, and that was enough.

"BELL!" Shoot, Edward was already outside?! I didn't even hear the car! "Bell, come on we have to go! Oh, hey Charlie."

"Hey, kid. How are you?" I heard Charlie replied at the same time a door shut close.

"Everything's fine, just looking for your daughter… Is she ready?" Edward asked Charlie.

"I don't know, she's still in her room. Go check if you want. But knock first, okay?"

I heard Edward's contagious laughter. "The Sheriff never rests, huh?"

"Ever," I heard my father tease.

I heard fast steps from the stairs and then a knock in my room's door. Oh-oh, here it was coming.

"Bella, what are you doing? Are you ready? We need to go." I could sense the impatience for the tone of his voice. But I was still not ready at all.

"Hmm, almost…" I tried to sound as convincible as possible at the same time I rummaged in my closet.

He sighed. "Can I come in?"

"Hmm, wait a sec." God, my hands couldn't go faster. Practically all my clothes was on the floor right now and I was still not dressed. Awesome.

"You are not even dressed, aren't you?" Edward sighed behind the door.

Busted. "Not really—"

He cut me off. "Bell! I told you to be ready at 10, what---"

"I know, I'm sorry… But I really don't know what to wear…" I mumbled at the end. God, I looked so superficial right now. This wasn't me at all.

"Why don't I come in and help you?" I heard him exhale as he always did when he tried to be patient.

"Wait a sec," I said as I put on my 'sleeping sweat'. "Come in,"

"As if I've never seen you with less than that," Edward rolled his eyes.

And the red came again…"We were seven there," I stuck my tongue at him.

Edward made a face and started looking at every inch of my room. "Bell, I really thought you were a tidy person. Your room is a _mess_," he said as he took a shirt from the floor and put it on a chair.

"Yes, well, I was until now, I guess."

"Hmm, are you nervous because Jasper is gonna be there, huh?" He amused with a seductive tone and sat on my bed.

Was it because of that? The sound of his name made something weird to my stomach. No way was I going to recognize that to Edward. "Yeah, right. Will you bother me all night with him? Because I'd like to be prepared if so…" I stared at him to make my point clearer, but his bewildered face made me smile. "What, Edward? Just laugh," I rolled my eyes and there the loud guffaw of his resounded in my tiny room.

"Sorry, it's just that it's funny seeing you all nervous for a guy," He shrugged.

I looked at him faking seriousness. "I'm so laughing, and I'm NOT nervous!"

"Sure, that's why you are chewing your bottom lip like that?" I was – I was chewing it like hell. I hadn't noticed it before but my lip almost hurt by now.

"I wasn't…" I complained as I stopped with the action and surrendered in the floor.

"Alright, maybe I'm a bit nervous, okay? What's the big deal, everyone is nervous from time to time!" I was almost hyperventilating right now. Yep, I was going crazy, totally whacko, loca.

He slowly walk to my spot and sat beside me. "Just breathe Bell, it's okay if you're nervous. Come on, let's get you something sexy to wear," He arched his eyebrows invitingly. I frowned at him. He laughed back. "Just kidding, let's get you something _normal_ and nice, alright?"

I smiled at him. Why was he always so awesome? "I hate you," I grinned.

"Yeah, love you too," He laughed as he started searching all my clothes. It was going to be a long night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

The noise of the bonfire reached the road. And with every meter less to reach the place, my heart beats went faster. The jean skirt and blue shirt Edward helped me chose was making me feel cold. But there was something exciting about this night… and well, maybe I did know the reason.

"We are almost there," Edward reassured me as we walked through a sand-dune. Well, he walked; I stumbled every five seconds with my own feet. His arms were over my shoulders as he restrained me every time my feet threatened to let me fall. And his contagious laughter was with us in every movement. I just restrained myself to glare at him and concentrate on my walk.

The sky was filled with shiny stars, making the night look as an immense night club with wind blowing. We were almost there now, and the place looked amazing. A big, seriously big bonfire at the middle, some huge logs where people could sit at, a luxurious big truck near the bonfire with music to the max, and the people, people, and more people. Teenagers to be more specific. I knew them all, but I was sure they all didn't know me. Most of them were seniors as me, and then there were older and younger's ones.

And in one corner, illuminated by the light of the fire, there was _him_. Jasper's blond hair was a bit messed up by the wind. And I could see his white teeth and his smile from my spot. I gulped. My heart pounced with force and my hands started to sweat. The hell I was nervous. I was going to have a heart attack.

"Relax," I heard Edward whispered in my ear. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly. But I'd need a big bucket of cold water to get out of my panic attack.

"Seriously Bell, you are shaking," He whispered one more time. I took some air and nodded. Why was I behaving like this? It was just a guy, nothing more. And besides I didn't like him, I was just nervous… just that… right?

"I'm calmed, I'm calmed," I kept repeating to myself till we were there. And it helped a bit. Edward's arm around my shoulders did its thing too.

Everyone stared at us when we arrived. Well, maybe they were staring at Edward. Every girl was with an awe face as they looked at him from the bottom to the top, and every boy with a respectful look. I understood them, Edward was pretty amazing. Understanding, funny, sensitive for being a boy, with good taste, good student, good swimmer. He had it all, but well, he was just Edward to me. The only person I was sure I'd never, ever forget. Not matter how far we'd be, I'd always think of him. Because he'd just earned that, he was awesome. And well, the best thing – he thought that about me too.

Edward saluted with his eyes and his smile, and with that, all the eyes posed on me. Not with the same expression than they were in Edward's, but with skepticism. Almost all of them knew we were really close, but they tried to deny it anyway. Because someone like _him_, how could get along with someone like _me_?

As I'd thought of, Angela wasn't here. She must be with Ben, her kind boyfriend. They had been together for almost a year now, and she was radiant. Angela was my best girlfriend, unlike Edward – Angela was pretty similar to me. We both liked to read, and the quiet, and yes – we both dreamed of Romeo. The only difference was, that she'd found him and I hadn't.

Edward's arm was sure in my back, and I knew he was trying to give me confidence by the act. Suddenly something shook his arm off my back. And there it was _her_. Jessica. His stunning girlfriend. According to him, they were just hanging out. According to her, he loved her more than anything in this world. And according to me, she was just a really superficial b*tch. But his life – his 'loves'.

"Hey baby," Jessica shrieked in his year and put her arms on his neck. She was a bit drunk; the smell of the alcohol gave her away. Good thing Edward wasn't on those things – he cared about himself too much to harm himself. And besides, swimming was his life; he wouldn't screw it up for some teenage acceptance.

"Hey Jess," Edward mumbled back, restraining her arms a bit that were truly determined to get as much as Edward's neck as possible.

She didn't even look at me, but kept attached to Edward. I saw him gesturing at me with his eyes, trying to tell her I was at his side. Psst, as if she hadn't noticed it. She hated me - that was obvious. Edward would always tell me she didn't but it was too glaring to deny it. I didn't blame her; she knew what her position was and what was mine. She knew she could be one more in Edward's life and I couldn't. And that just pissed her off.

She then glared at me. "Oh, hi Isabella." And kissed him hard on his lips. His eyes widened with the unexpected action, but he was too much of a gentleman to pull her away. I mumbled a 'hi' and made some steps to a side.

I knew this would happen. I just knew it. Why did I let him convince me and I didn't listen to my own instincts? I knew I would end up alone and bored and with all the jerks looking at me as if I were a monkey, totally in another place---

Two hands in my bare shoulders made me lose the trace of my pathetic thought. And his familiar cologne filled the air. "I told you I wasn't going to leave you alone," Edward whispered in my ear and smiled my crook smile – my favorite one.

Stupid me. He was awesome, of course he would keep his promise. "And Jessica?" I arched an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "Somewhere around, I guess. She's showing herself off in some way," Edward rolled his green eyes.

I couldn't help but make a face. "I thought she'd already done that with the short skirt and the big cleavage."

He chuckled and messed his hair up. "Yeah, well, I guess she's still not done." We ended the walk and sat on a log near the bonfire. I guess my goose bump skin made Edward realize I was cold. I put my face to the sky and watched the stars, as I'd always loved to do.

"Why is it that you love the stars so much?" Edward asked mimicking my action.

I sighed. "I don't know, I guess I like to think there is so much more things out there. Maybe there are so many different ways of lives and beings we don't even think of… I guess I like to look at it and think they are staring back…"

He smiled. "That's a good explanation, I've never thought about it in that way."

"Yeah, I'm a bit weird, aren't I?" I laughed. But it was true.

He shook his head and placed it on my shoulder. "You are just unique, and in the good way."

Hello red, welcome to my face again! "You are making me blush, you jerk."

He faked an arrogant look. "Yeah, I tend to produce that to the chicks,"

I messed his hair myself. "You are crazy,"

"You are too," He grinned and then placed his eyes in the middle of the bonfire. "Oh, and by the way, don't freak out, but Hale is staring at you."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I froze. My eyes were still in the sky; I was too afraid to look down.

"W-what?" My voice went as a choke.

"That Hale is---"

"I know _what_, I heard you!" I rolled my eyes at him. "But I mean, are you sure? Like sure, sure? Maybe he is staring at someone behind me?" I arched my head so I could see at my back, but there was just more night there and no one else.

Edward sighed. "Bell, I'm pretty sure he's looking at you. Tell you more, he's now looking at your legs," He chuckled. My cheeks burned for the red that emerged instantly.

I instinctively put my hands in my legs to cover them. Yeah sure, as if my hands would cover all my legs - no way was I that skinny. "Are you serious?" I mumbled still looking up the sky.

"Totally… Alright, I think he's seen your legs enough." His voice came harder now.

"I think the same, is he still looking at my legs?!" My heart beats were over 200. If I thought I'd have a heart attack before, I was completely wrong. _Now_ I was going to have a heart attack – it was just matter of time.

"Mmm," Edward peeped one more time and then he looked at me again. "Not now, he's looking at me, now."

"What's his face?"

"Desire… he's looking at my legs," He bit his bottom lip in a sexy way.

I laughed. "Shut up, you're grouse!" At least the tension had decreased a bit.

He laughed back. "Alright, he's walking to this spot, just ACT NORMAL." Edward took my hand that was behind the log and squeezed it. Did I hear well?

"WHAT? Is he coming here?!" I whispered, almost chocking again.

"Yes, he is. Just calm down, Bella," He squeezed it one more time. But I was almost at the edge of the heart attack now, yep, just minutes and I'd be a nothing in the floor. Hasta la vista, baby.

"Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God---" That kept on coming off my system without any warning.

Edward was almost strangulating my right hand by now. "Just act normal, jeez…" He shook his head and placed me straight in the log so my eyes were directly to the front. Thanks a lot, _best _friend!

"Hey," The deep voice of Jasper sounded just a foot from where I was sitting. He smiled at me and stayed there, waiting for my answer.

But nope. My body wouldn't react. It was totally shocked, as if a plug had just unplugged from my brain and I was as still as a vegetable. Worst – vegetables don't have mouth, and I did, and it was completely open. God.

Edward incorporated himself by my side, but I could sense his disapproving stare intently on my nape before doing it. "Hey Jasper, what's up?" Edward talked with a calm voice. Oh, he was my savior. Well, I guess it was the least thing he could do after throwing me to the wolves like that.

"Hey Edward, nothing, just chilling…" I saw Jasper shrugging his shoulders in front of me. He was now looking at Edward but he peeped at me from time to time. "So… Bella, right? You hate being called Isabella?" Jasper said pointing at me. Oh my.

Guess what I did? LAUGHED. Yes, I laughed a dorky laugh. The ones that always appear in the movies when the hot guy goes and talk to the nerd girl and the only sounds that escapes her thorax is a weird laugh, like the one of a donkey? Exactly, that was my case.

Jasper made a face but at my surprise he then smiled back. And the color reached my face one more time – I swear if I could kill red, oh, how dead it would be!

Edward came one more time to save the night, clearing his throat. "She's sore throat, that's why she doesn't talk that much." He murmured as he hit me slightly in my back with his shoulder – obviously trying to see if I could react with that. That much? I was completely mute.

"Too many parties?" Jasper grinned. Yeah – sure it was that, not that I was almost going to pass out for you.

I tilted my head from side to side and covered my arms with my hands.

He looked at them for a second. "Oh, maybe you're cold? You want my jacket?" He arched his eyebrows at the same time he started taking his blue jacket off. Blue jacket + blue shirt = match! Yep, I'm a looser.

I was starting to shake my head for the nervousness, when Edward took control again. "Oh, that'd be great! She was actually just telling me how cold she was, right Bell?" Edward looked at me with a I'm-gonna-kill-you-if-you-don't-talk-right-now face and hit my back one more time. I made my best to make my system work and nodded.

Jasper sighed deeply and frowned a bit. "Cullen I thought you more gentleman here, was this lady going to be cold if I hadn't arrived?" His tone was one of a joke but Edward tensed a bit at my side.

"Yeah, well, luckily you came, huh?" Edward replied as he stood up from the log. I looked at him with pleading eyes and he gave me a 'chill-out' look in response. My lip was almost aching again with pressure I was applying to it with my nervous teeth.

"Yeah, luckily…" Jasper then finished taking off the jacket and gave it to me with a sure movement. And when he put it on my hand, he brushed my palm slightly with his fingers, producing an electric reaction to the action.

I gulped and took some air. Come on, Bella, just woman up! "Thanks," I managed to murmur despite the nervousness and put it on. I had to admit it smelled really good.

"No problem," He grinned back and sat in the place Edward just was.

From the corner of my eyes I saw Edward kicking some sand of the ground. "So…" He sighed. "I'll just go look what Jessica's doing, maybe she's done now." He winked at me and started walking to the bonfire.

Alright Bella, just breath. Remember what you've been doing since you were born? Giving air to your system and then taking it out, then in, then out, so you don't die?! My brain was trying to help me with basic tutorials of how to survive but I was still at the edge of my now friend, the heart attack.

Jasper looked at me and smiled again. "So, you and Edward are pretty good friends, huh?"

I smiled back and tried to relax. "Yes, we really are…"

"That's cool; I'd love to have a best girlfriend." He said the last word with an implicit tone that brought that weird feeling to my stomach again.

"Well, it's not that difficult really…" I shrugged.

"But you're friends, _friends_ or friends with… benefits?" He said the last part a bit ashamed as if he knew it was none of his business.

My eyes widened with the question. "What? No, no—just friends, _friends_." I laughed at the craziness of the situation. Luckily this time, the laughter went out in a normal way – well, normal in me at least.

He chuckled and scrutinized every inch of my face with his eyes. "Why are you laughing?"

"It's just weird that people think Edward and I can have something else than just friendship," I shook my head with the thought. It was a really crazy thought.

"It's not that uncommon, lots of relationships start like friends and end like a romantic one," He came a bit closer to me. And I thought my heart would explode from my chest. Good thing it didn't. "But I'm glad that's not your case," He whispered in my ear and smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jasper was really nice. He showed me that in the next couple of hours we kept on talking. The blush was in my face almost all the time but I actually felt relaxed. And that was something I'd have never expected. I just had one question all the way, why Jasper Hale would like talking to me if he had a hell of a party in front of his eyes?

We talked about what we liked, what we didn't. About what we'd like to do in our future and what we'd hate. He told me he'd like to play football forever, and that he was staying here for the rest of his life. Then he told me he didn't see me too much around, and asked me what I liked to do. When I told him I loved Wuthering Heights he actually asked me if it was a TV series. Well – he was the captain of the football team, so…

The wind was blowing strongly by midnight – good thing I still had Jasper's jacket on. By now we almost didn't have more questions to ask each other. But the nice atmosphere was still in the air. The bonfire was smaller but everyone seemed crazier now – as if the alcohol had made its effect. Some girls were dancing in a provocative way in the middle of the scene – showing themselves off for some guys that were looking at them from a log.

I scanned the place with my eyes to see if I could find where Edward was. And there he was, in a far log with Jessica. They were kissing and every time he'd pull her away, she'd crushed her lips to him one more time. His face showed an annoyance I didn't quite understand; maybe it was because of her impatience. I just really didn't get why he liked her, they didn't match at all. She was completely shallow and he was truly deep. I couldn't understand how he didn't get bored with her… But again, his life – his 'loves'.

Jasper's question brought me back, but the mumbling was so strong, I didn't quiet understand it. "So, mmm, youmm, mmmwanna gommm out sommme timemmm?"

"WHAT?" I frowned and sharpened my ears.

He breathed deeply. "If you wanna go out with me, you know… some time, go out, like… together?" His tone went lower in the last part. Was Jasper Hale, the captain of the football team, self conscious?

I didn't know that. What I did know, was that my heart suddenly stopped. Yep, all the blood went off my system – no idea where it went, but what I know is that it wasn't in me. I'm sure I was completely pale. Like a vampire. And God, those had always scared the hell out of me.

Though I was completely shocked for the unexpected question I made my system react. Not because of my health, but of Jasper's one that had the biggest frown I'd ever seen in my entire seventeen years of existence. And I was scared that he could be the one suffering a heart attack. What would I tell his mother? That he asked me out and died?

"Alright," I mumbled back and blushed.

He smiled and exhaled some air that I was sure had been in his thorax for too long. "Really?"

"Sure, why not? It's not a crime not knowing Wuthering Heights is a book," I laughed trying to dissipate the tension.

Okay, this was a whole new me here. I'd never joke with a guy like Jasper. Tell you more; I'd just one boyfriend some years ago. And it was a very basic relationship. Jacob Black was his prohibited name. I didn't let anyone, ever talk about him. He'd hurt me, and bad. And with that, I vowed I'd never be with anyone again – I vowed I'd never fall in love. But I was just enjoying my time here, not thinking it that much. Though I was sure I'd cringe late night when I'd think about it.

Jasper laughed back with my comment. "Yeah, well, it's not a crime not knowing who Pelé is, either." He laughed back.

I hided my face in my hands, ashamed. "I guess, I told you I didn't know a thing about sports!" It was a Brazilian soccer player. Alright, he was very well known. But sports + Bella = 0.

"Cullen doesn't teach you about it?" he asked a bit surprised.

"He had… for some years. But I guess he gave up when he discovered it had no effect on me, I just forget sports things. Don't know what it is," I shrugged. It was completely true; someone could spend all day teaching me something about some certain sport and on the other day… kaboom! Totally gone from my brain.

"I guess your mom must be happy about that, huh?" He smiled.

And even though I wanted not to affect me, goose bump covered every inch of my body and the hole on my chest pounced. "I don't—my mom died ten years ago."

His eyes widened with this and I could feel the regret in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry… I'm so stupid, I should've known… I can't believe that even at a tiny town I can get lost like this…" he shook his head.

I shrugged and breathed deeply. "It's alright, don't worry, it's been a long time, but I guess it sometimes hurts a little bit." I didn't know why I was telling these things to him, he wasn't even a friend of mine.

He made a pause for some seconds and then looked to the sea with dark eyes. "Well, I have a mom but she just doesn't care about me. My sister, Rosalie, is all for her. I'm just the shallow, childish Jasper. She never takes me serious… I think I've talked more to you than to her in my entire life, it's pathetic really…" he trailed off at the end and look at his hands, ashamed.

An immense urge to hug him overpowered my body. Poor Jasper. His family along with Edward's one had always been the perfect one for the outsiders, the model to follow. I'd have never thought that was case with his mom. I guess I was lucky in some point… I'd enjoyed my mother for just seven short years, but I'd _really_ enjoyed her.

"Maybe you can talk to her? Let her know what you feel?"

He shrugged at my side, his eyes still glued to his hands. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "I don't even think she'd care. She's really blinded."

"And your dad, maybe he can talk to her?"

A louder bitter laugh escaped again. "They don't talk that much either. Great family, huh?" He looked at me with ashamed eyes, now.

I tried my best to reassure him with mines. "Don't worry; every family is a different world."

"I guess," He sighed and stared to the front. "Oh, I think Cullen is looking for you?"

Edward was walking to our spot, his expression a bit darkened.

"He is. I guess we should get going…" I said as I started to get his jacket off.

"No," Jasper stopped my action touching my arm. "It's still cold out here, I don't want you to get sicker than you already are, you can keep it and give it to me tomorrow night?" He arched his eyebrows invitingly. And my heart pounced with force.

I bit my lip a bit self conscious. "Alright… and what's happening tomorrow night?"

"I'm taking you out for dinner, promise there won't be anything related to sports," He smiled a bright smile.

Bring it on! "Sure, sounds great,"

"Awesome, pick you up by eight? The Sheriff's house, right?"

"Right," Oh, he new my dad was a sheriff.

Edward was some feet from us now. And I could see his eyes full of questions as he saw us. I'd have a _long_ questionnaire in the way home.

"Should I be scared of the Sheriff?" He joked but I saw the real worry on his words.

"If you behave well, no problem."

"Of course I will," He smiled again and then bended to my ear. "Please don't tell Cullen about my family, I haven't talked to anyone but you about it."

Really? I felt powerful. I stretched so I could reach his ear now. "Promise not to say anything,"

He nodded. "Promise the same."

"Hey guys," Edward greeted, weighing up the situation. "It's a bit late…let's go, Bell?"

I started walking to where Edward was. "Sure, see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Jasper grinned and stared at me for longer than necessary.

"Aren't you going to give Jasper his jacket?" Edward asked, restraining my walk.

"Not now," I gave him an I-explain-you-later look and keep walking.

"Oh," He frowned. "Alright… Casanova," he murmured to my ear and walked by my side.

"Okay, start talking," Edward whispered to me when we were already in the sand-dune. God, how much I knew him. And the questionnaire party begins… _now_.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

That night, after cringing some minutes thinking of the unmentionable one, I fell asleep with a smile. Yeah, Romeo didn't exist, but who needed brunette Romeo anyway, if you had blond Jasper taking you out tomorrow night?

A weird dream woke me up the next day. More than a dream, it was a nightmare. In my weird dream/nightmare I was walking feeling really happy, but something felt odd. Like seriously odd. And the worst thing, was, that the odd thing was in me. Nothing was wrong outside; it was just me, just something in me that felt out of place. And then, without reason, I started crying. Crying rivers of salt water. There is when I woke up, just to notice my cheeks were also wet. God, I hated when dreams went through reality.

I stayed in my bed for a while. Trying to shake off the feelings of the d/n. Why did I have to do that? Just when I was calming myself down, singing a kids song, totally off key, I remembered what'd happen today. To be more specific, _tonight_.

My friend, the heart attack was expectant again, my hands sweat, my breathing ceased.

That night I'd a really weird dream. Well, it was almost a nightmare. I was once more having a panic attack. In – out, in – out, my brain remembered me one more time. I did as he commanded. Wow, breathing was really nice, wondered who invented it?

Just kidding.

I looked through the window, the sun was already up in the sky. And it was beaming with force. I couldn't see a cloud up, not even once. That was new. This day was starting really weird and that was creeping the hell out of me. I shook my head and tried my best to dissipate my nervousness, the clock on my wall said it was eleven on the morning. _Calm down! Way too many hours to start with the hyperventilation, I'm sure you'll have time later!_ That was my mean side talking there. But yes, she was right. CALM OUT!

After my auto-therapy I decided to get out of bed – it was clearly not doing anything good to my mind. My stomach rumbled with force the second I put my foot on the floor, so I ran downstairs to get something to eat. My mind was already suffering; did I need my body to, also?

Yummy. Scramble eggs, they were just way too awesome. I think I got almost six. Yep, I was addicted to scramble eggs. Generally Edward and I would buy a lot of eggs and put them all together and just scramble, scramble, scramble them until we were tired. He always ended up scrambling the double of time than me because of his all-well formed arms. Something I had to admit, his arms were pretty, PRETTY big.

The noise of a car distracted me of my last bit of the delicious preparation in plate. And a bell like voice made me smile.

"Why you have to _always _help me if I can do it by myself?" I heard Alice's voice complaining. I stopped my eating party and ran to the door.

Just on time to see my best friend rolling his emerald green eyes. "Because I love you just too much, and I protect you." Edward grinned at her and met my eyes, and stop pulling Alice. "Hey,"

"Bella!" Alice moved her arms up and down.

I ran to meet her. "Alice, how are you, girly?" She always made me so happy. Just to see her happy eyes made me happy.

She sighed heavily. "I'm fine, I guess… I'm just sick of my older brother here," she pointed me at him with her eyes. "Oh, and can you tell me why you are in your pajamas? ---Wait, wait," she stopped me with one hand and stared at me from bottom to top – not with a nice face. "I'm sorry, I want to correct myself. What are you doing, with that _rag _you like calling pajamas?"

Edward laughed his contagious laughter. And I just glared at his little sister. Oh, Alice and fashion… just the same thing with a different name.

"Well, first, young lady, this is not a rag, it's the beautiful Oasis Live Concert sweat. Right is beautiful, Edward?" I made a little girl face – playing around a bit.

Edward nodded. "Right, right… so beautiful."

Alice looked at him in disbelief. "She has washed your brain!"

"She really has, hasn't she?" He faked a deep sigh and stared at the horizon. "I've even read Wuthering Heights _twice_."

I laughed at his side and punched his arm. "You jerk, and you know it was just one time, the other one you read through the middle and stopped!"

"Well, yeah, but you finished it for me? Or you forgot that stormy night that you made me stay up till three in the morning so you could finish reading me the last part, you '_oh_, love so much!'" He mimicked me in the last part and chuckled.

"Whatever, I hate you. I'll just make my friend Alice come in, and let my no-friends outside," I stuck my tongue at him and gestured Alice to follow me. I didn't like overprotecting her, she didn't need it. But Edward couldn't understand that, though I'd tried to explain it to him too many times.

Alice made a snob face at my side and started pulling her wheelchair. I looked behind me once, just to wish not to have done it. Edward's eyes almost made me cry here and now. I had to gulp not to. The anguish, the old suffering, the pity, the compassion, the unconditional love were all in his eyes as he looked at his little sister. It just cracked my heart a bit more than it was already broken.

I mechanically turned over and walked to his side; my hand took his in another irrational movement and squeezed it with strength. Luckily Alice was still looking at the door and not seeing us, because if not she would also see the pleading look he gave at me. I squeezed his hand one more time; he nodded and breathed deeply in response.

"Why are you holding my brother's hand?" Alice turned around and glared at me. Her playful smile was in her face. "Wasn't I your friend and he your no-friend?"

I tried to composed myself as fast as possible and saw Edward doing the same by my side. "Yes, well… I can't stay mad at him for too long, I guess," I shrugged. Edward smiled at my side.

"TOO LONG? It was just a couple of minutes! God, I really don't understand seniors," She shook her head and sighed.

Edward and I both laughed. "Just a couple of years and you'll be just the same, little pixie." Edward chuckled at my side and walked to the door.

The shower was really refreshing – it was too hot outside. When I entered to my room there was a little piece of paper there. Oh, God.

'Bella, it's Fashion Police talking here. I don't like my friends committing fashion suicide. Please wear your soft green top with your jean shorts and white sandals. Waiting you downstairs – DON'T LET ME DOWN.

Alice – any doubt?"

I stared at the letter for some long minutes and started laughing as crazy. Alice was the whacko here; there was no doubt on that. But what made me laugh the most was that Edward agreed on taking the letter to my room – his part on the plan.

I sighed and took her suggestion out of my wardrobe – no need to have Alice as an enemy. After combing my hair and brushing my teeth I was on the stairs again.

"There you go?" I see Alice grinned, content.

I stared at my best friend. "I can't believe you have your part in here, this is totally a stalk." I said as I grabbed my top to show it to him.

He put his hands up and splashed in the sofa. "Don't look at me, her wishes - my command." He spoiled her just too much.

"Please Bella, you are beautiful, don't complain." Alice snapped and grinned her evil pixie smile. I rolled my eyes and sat beside Edward.

Suddenly everyone was quiet – but there was just something odd in the quietness, the two of them were intently staring at me. And Alice face was a happy poem.

I frowned, completely lost. And peeped at Alice, then at Edward, then at Alice, again, then at Edward.

"YOU TOLD HER?"

Edward took my hand with his that was threatening to punch his arm once again. I wasn't violent – I'm sure he didn't even feel it, but it was just a bit annoying, I know.

His eyes were the ones of an innocent lamb as he stared at me. "She just took her own conclusions, I swear! I was just here and thinking of tonight and then she saw my face and started asking and you know how she is when she starts asking, she is worse than Sherlock Holmes, I tried to not tell her but she was just asking and asking and asking and ----"

"Alright, alright!" I cut him off. He was losing it this time – it was nice when the papers were reversed. "I know Alice, I know what a Sherlock Holmes is, just, pray she isn't making this a big deal, because if not – you are seriously a dead man." I tried my best to make my voice go in a serious way in the last part.

We both looked at Alice then, trying to predict her reaction. Oh boy, she'd a from ear to ear grin in her face, that could mean nothing good. I could sense Edward praying at my side that she wouldn't take it as a big deal – but that wasn't happening. We both knew Alice just too well.

"Jasper Hale?" She almost sang. Oh – oh. "The cutest boy on this earth, you are going out with Jasper Hale?!" The voice seemed as an opera in the end. I knew it, I just knew it.

I shrugged and gave Edward a killing look. "We are just friends,"

Alice shook her head as a robot. "It didn't seem that with what Edward told me…"

Edward was seriously a dead man. Bye bye, au revoir! Edward gulped at my side.

"Alice, please, I just told you they were going out, just that…" Edward almost chocked. It was really hilarious to see.

Alice shook her head robotically once more. "Friends don't go out on a dinner,"

"We do!" Edward complained.

"That's because you're freaks! That's not normal,"

I sighed. "Alright Alice, tell me what you want in order not make this a big deal, _please_."

Alice grinned mischievously and looked at me. "I get to make you ready,"

Of course. I nodded once and looked at Edward, fuming. "You are _so_ dead,"

"I know," he breathed as he prepared to the maximum punishment – tickles in his neck.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Oh, Alice, come on! It's enough!" I complained to Alice that was killing me with some make up.

"Please Bella, I didn't do anything yet, promise it'll be subtle." Alice sang as she moved her hands to every inch of my face.

"You better," Alice glared at me and made a 'shh' gesture putting her index on her lips. I rolled my eyes and tried to stay calm. But who could I fool? It was almost seven thirty and my heart was already pulsing more than necessary.

We were in the living room, alone – Edward went with Charlie that needed some help for buying some fishing stuff. So Alice had me all for herself. She first revised all my clothes with her memory and made me try six different outfits before choosing the one she preferred the most. I had to admit that the dress didn't look bad at all. So I'd been stuck in this beauty session for almost three hours now. God. Anything to please Alice, I guess.

"Almost done," She said fifteen minutes later. My face was contracting with how still I had to put it.

"You said that five minutes ago," I sighed.

"Almost, almost…" She was grinning more with every second passing by. "Ready!"

In the same second Alice pronounced the magic word I heard a car parking outside my house. My heart stopped completely for the littlest of time when I heard Edward's and Charlie's familiar voice reaching to the door. I took a deep breathe in relief and went to open the door. Though I'd never admit it, I was dying to see how I was.

"Hey, kiddo," Charlie greeted and gave Alice a warm smile. "Nice job Alice, you look really nice."

"Thanks dad," I blushed.

Edward was walking to the door still, his hands occupied with plastic bags. "Hey, Bell--- _wow_." Edward stared at me for some long seconds, his eyes widened as he looked from the bottom to the top several times.

I tensed. "What? That bad?"

He finally met my eyes. "No, Bell. Just too good." He shook his head some times and smiled.

"Shut up, you jerk!" I punched his arm as I turned crimson red.

His eyes widened again. "Why am I being a jerk if I'm telling you, you look beautiful?"

Blush, blush, blush! "Because you are making me feel embarrassed, that's why!"

He laughed. "You are serious a lost case, you know?"

I made a mocking face. "You think?"

His contagious laughter appeared again. "Even more beautiful now,"

"Ha ha." I messed his hair with one hand and started walking to the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror when Edward grabbed my wrist.

I turned to look at him. "Hey, just for you to know… I like your oasis sweat as much as this – maybe even more." He grinned.

"Whatever," I tried to fake seriousness and hide a smile that was starting to play with my lips. He was too awesome.

I ran to the bathroom then, almost stumbling with my own feet once. "Oh my," I mumbled as I stared at a better version of myself –_ way_ better. Alice was a genius, I had to admit I looked pretty damn good.

And was Edward blind? How could I look the same or better with my oasis sweat? Jeez.

I ran again – trying to be more careful this time – and took Alice on a big bear hug.

"I love it, I love it, I _love_ it!" I sang as I almost choked her with the hug. "THANK YOU!"

She grinned and placed a smug smile in her mouth. "I know, I know… I'm gifted…" She sighed. "Oh, what can I say?"

"Your welcome?" I arched an eyebrow.

"That can be a possibility," she grinned and looked at the watch in the wall. "Almost 8…"

I put a scared face and looked at the other beings on the living room. Charlie had already turned on the TV but peeped at us from time to time. Edward was behind me, sitting in a sofa and trying to calm me with his relax stare.

"Everything is gonna be fine, Bell," He comforted me as he patted the place beside him for me to sit there. I did as he commanded. "Just relax."

I placed my head in his shoulder and closed my eyes. His scent had always calmed me down. It was like therapy. He'd laughed when I'd told him that the best relaxing therapy was smelling him and thought that was a bit creepy. But what could I do? I didn't choose what relaxed me and what didn't.

He laughed at my side as he noticed what I was doing. "Do I smell good?"

I fake a grouse face. "Not at all,"

He smelled my bare shoulder. "Yeah, you don't smell good either."

We both shrugged at the same time and laughed. Alice was staring at us with horror in her face. "You seriously are freaks," She rolled her eyes and continued leafing through the fashion magazine.

When I was going to answer to her definition of us, the sound of a car parking outside cut me off – and cut my breathe off too.

"8 sharp," Alice grinned as she looked at the watch one more time.

"Oh my God, Oh my God…" Those words were coming off my system one more time. Jeez, would that happen every time I saw him?

Someone knocked the door. And I saw my father standing up – not after giving me a look I couldn't completely interpret. It was something between 'have fun' and 'I'm watching you'.

"Just relax," Edward whispered to my ear and helped me stand up. I nodded at him and breathed deeply. It was it, what else could I do? Just relax and spend a good time…

I heard the front door opened. "Hi, Jasper Hale, right?" My dad said with a serious tone. Oh dad, please don't make Jasper spend an awkward time.

"Yes, sir. I come to look for you daughter, I want to take her out." Jasper's voice sounded really nervous. And that made me relax a little it. One thing I'd never say – that Jasper Hale would be nervous. Well, I guess everyone can shock you from time to time.

"Alright, call me Charlie. Come in, I'll call Bella." I heard Charlie replied and started walking to me.

"Go, Bella! He's waiting!" I heard Alice thrill. "Please spend a good time and don't make it easy for him!"

I glared at her. "Alice, what are you talking about?"

Alice shrugged. "I don't know… that's what they always say in the movies."

Edward and I both looked at each other and laughed. "Alice, you shouldn't repeat something you don't know what it means," Edward said, messing his hair up.

"True," Alice said with a snob voice and came to my side to give me a hug.

In the same time Charlie came to the room. "Bella, Jasper is waiting for you in the kitchen. Could you _please_ hurry up? Poor kid." He murmured and went to the kitchen again.

I breathed deeply. "Alright, I should go, Charlie's right."

"You should," he smiled and put a strand of my hair on its right place.

I smiled back and started walking to the room's door when he grabbed my wrist one more time. "Hey," I turned around to meet his eyes.

"Yep?"

"Just… take care, alright?" His eyes were deep on mine.

"Of course I will, but why are you---"

"Just because, I don't know, I'm sorry I'm a bit overprotective I guess…" He shrugged and smiled his Colgate smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Just a bit?" He made a tilted his head from side to side.

"Maybe I could stay and wait you for you to come back—"

I waved my hand in the air. "No need."

"But so you can have someone to talk to—"

I rolled my eyes at his overreacted-reaction. "Edward, I'm a grown up girl now. I'll see you tomorrow and tell you everything,"

"I know you are," He smiled at me, and two little dimples appeared on each side of his cheek.

"Hey, I'm always bothering you. Now you have some time to do what you want and go see Jessica." I suggested, though the idea wasn't that pleasant for me. Jessica was a stupid b*tch. But he liked her.

He sighed. "Yeah, maybe…"

"Hate you," I smiled childishly.

He hugged me and started to open the door. "Hey!" I protested. "You didn't say the secret words!"

It was his time to roll his emerald green eyes now. He bend to my ear and whispered, "Love you too. Happy?"

"Now yes." I grinned as I went out the room.

Jasper's mouth hung opened as stood up from a kitchen's chair and stared at me. I could see for the look he was giving me how much he was trying to _not_ check me out. I had to suppress a giggle that was threatening to escape my thorax.

"Hey Jasper," I said to him, trying to stutter the less I could. His black jacket made his eyes stun in a perfect way.

"Hey," He smiled back. And then his eyes went to Edward beside me. "Oh, hi Cullen,"

"Hey, everything cool?" Edward greeted.

"It is," Jasper answered and gave me a look. And again, hello Mr. giggle! Welcome back! – Not missed you at all.

"Great," Edward replied.

"Always here, huh?"

Edward crossed his arm in his chest and nodded. "Always, just like the moon and the earth – they can't be apart, right?"

"Right," I mumbled as I gave Edward a look. "Let's go, now?" This was starting to be a bit uncomfortable, so without any answer I went to the door. Jasper followed me from behind.

"No more than midnight, got it?" I heard Charlie warning.

Jasper nodded to him. "Of course, midnight will be. Bye Si—Charlie."

"Bye!" But it was Edward who replied.

And you know what? Like in the movies, Jasper opened my door on the car and let me in. I tried not to blush and to tell my brain to tell my heart not to pounce with force – but no one ever listens to me!

"Where are we going?" I asked as we were already on the road.

He smiled looking at the front and looked at me. "You'll see. By the way, you look beautiful tonight."


	12. Chapter 12 part 1

Chapter 12 - Part 1

Jasper was driving through a road I couldn't completely identify. He was the opposite of Edward when it came to driving – slower and not that crazy. Some nice song was being played in the radio and it gave the night a really relaxing aura. Also the night, like wow, it'd been a _long_ time since I'd last seen a night like this in Forks. Not one cloud on the sky and it seemed as if the stars were as shiny as ever.

Jasper's eyes were on me every five seconds and I was starting to feel really self conscious. Why did I let Alice apply me blusher? It'd be enough with the blush!

Okay seriously – too many looks. "_What_?" I asked Jasper when it'd been enough.

His eyes widened with the question and then he laughed. "I was creeping you out, wasn't I?"

I nodded. "Maybe," I laughed back. "So what is it?"

He shrugged. "Sorry, you really look beautiful tonight…" His voice came lower at the end, and it looked as if he turned a bit nervous.

Suddenly something Alice said in the house came to my mind. It wasn't for the exact situation the phrase was made – but, for some reason it sounded good. '_Don't make it easy for him._' I wouldn't.

"You already said that." I replied as I stared through the window.

"I-I know, I was just making it clearer…" His voice sounded a bit surprised… and embarrassed?

He suddenly laughed again – bitterly this time. "Jeez…" I looked at him to see him shaking his head.

"What?"

"You are always so difficult?"

"No. But you just can't buy me with a 'you look beautiful', that's all." And that was something I had to learn for the bad ways – but at least I had truly learnt it.

"What?" He frowned and stared deeply in my eyes – so much I feared we'd crash. "Do you think I think you are some kind of thing I can buy?"

"You are all the same," I shrugged and gulped the lump in my throat. "Romeo just doesn't exist."

His eyes were full of questions as he scrutinized me. "We seriously are not all the same, and it's true Romeo doesn't exist… but--- Who hurt you so badly?"

The question came so unexpectedly that I almost choked. "Wh-what are you saying?" I tried not to stutter – but I couldn't help it, I was actually surprised.

"Yeah, like… why you think all men are the same? Who made you think that?" His tone was curious and thorough as well. As if he was weighing up till which point he could go.

I cringed silently. My fists clenched involuntary, my heart roared for the pain – my brain for the memories. It was coming, the unbelievable painful mix of feelings were overpowering my system little by little – cell by cell.

"Are you okay?" I heard Jasper asking at me with a worried tone. But I just could not open my eyes. I nodded some times not wanting to worry him. "Are you sure? You look… distressed."

I breathed some times and made my best to open my eyes. Come on, Bella! Would he ruin another relationship when it hadn't even started?! Not that I thought this could turn into a relationship. Psst.

I met his confused eyes, and something in them made me want to tell him about it. To tell him my story. Though it would hurt as hell. "Jacob Black," I breathed.

"I'm sorry?" He frowned at my side.

"His name was Jacob Black… the one he made me think all men are the same. Jacob Black." Ouch. His name was still truly painful to say.

"Oh," He nodded. But somehow he was a bit tense. "So he _does_ have a name."

"Yep. A very ugly one." I made a face. The truth was – it wasn't ugly at all. It was actually one of the prettiest names I'd ever heard. No way would I ever recognize that.

He laughed at my addition and frowned again. "Where is he from? I don't remember that name…"

"That's because he lives in the Quilette Reservation. Well, I heard he's been traveling all around the US for a year now… So he's not there now. Our fathers were best friends, that's why I knew him… After what happened they stopped talking." That made me sad too, Charlie and Billy were really good friends and everything was ruined then.

I could see the changes of expression on his face – and it felt good to know that he was actually paying attention to what I was saying. "What did this Jacob do to you?"

I sighed. "Just made me really unhappy and break my heart…"

He was tenser now. "I'm sorry. Why? What did that ass do to you? If I can know, of course…"

I laughed at his mention and breathed a bit calmer. "He cheated on me – badly. Like with my best friend?" Jeez, it was still really hard to say… and embarrasing.

His eyes widened with the twist. "Wow. That son of a b*tch!"

I laughed again. "Nah, poor mother she doesn't have the fault of having such a stupid kid. My ex-best friend on the other hand…"

"Do I know her?" he questioned while turning to the left.

I shook my head. "Don't think so. She's from the reservation too. Leah Clearwater is her name. Luckily she has moved out to New Orleans with her family, now… They said it was because of her father's work – _I_ know it was both because of that and because of the shame." I actually felt truly relieved, telling him all this. Things I didn't usually let myself talk to.

We stayed quiet for some minutes and then he broke the silence – his voice almost as a whisper.

"You still love him?"

"No." Of that thing I was sure. I'd never love someone that had hurt me so badly.

"You miss him?"

I took a deep breath. "Sometimes…"

The quietness came again. And once more he broke it.

"We truly aren't all the same, you know?"

I nodded."I know," Just one name came to my head immediately. Edward. He wasn't as the other guys, I was sure of that. It made me smile a bit and just for a fraction of a second I wondered what could he possibly be doing now, maybe he was with his awful girl friend, doing something I just really didn't want to think of. Maybe he was bored? I had to suppress a laugh as I remembered one time last year that we were really bored so he decided that we needed to dress up as if we were hippies. So we went to the centre of the town and started talking to everyone with a hippie voice and telling them whatever craziness it occurred to us… they didn't even noticed we were us! It was hilarious, we almost peed our pants the whole time.

"But _you_ are like that," I told him.

He frowned. "I'm not!" I glared at him. "Well—I'm a player, that's true… But I'd never cheat on anybody. I think it's really low."

That made me smile. That was nice. "I don't know why but I believe you…"

It was his turn to smile. "Glad to hear that. And what about Cullen, he's a player too, isn't he?" His tone was a bit skeptical in the last part and a bit harsh too.

"Edward?" That came from nowhere. "He really isn't. At all. He's been with some of the girls from this town but they were dating or something like that. He really isn't one."

"Alright, alright, you really are always like standing up for him…" He tried to laugh but I could sense the seriousness of his question.

I shrugged. But it was true. "Yes, maybe. He's just my best friend and I love him, that's all."

"That's cool," Yeah, well he should have told that to his face – because it showed the opposite. The car suddenly stopped and he grinned. "We are here."

Wow.


	13. Chapter 12 part 2

Chapter 12 – part 2

The water of the lake was illuminated by the light of the sun behind the moon. The sand under my feel felt cold even though I had my shoes on. There was a small pier near the rocks were a boat was moored. I couldn't believe I'd been so focused on our conversation that I didn't notice we were going to the lake.

Jasper gestured me to follow him with his head and I couldn't not put a frown in my face – I was completely lost. We were walking towards the pier and the damn rocks were making it difficult for me to follow him. Jasper suddenly realized the fight I was having with my own feet and smiling took my hand in a slow way. Of course I blushed, but luckily there wasn't enough light as to see it.

"Alright, just wait. Where are we going?" I asked when I couldn't stand the anxiety anymore. My arms went to my chest as I stopped abruptly.

He faked a lunatic face. "I know what you did last summer and now it's time for you to pay." He laughed a horror laugh and took my hand one more time.

"That's not funny, you know? I almost cried when I saw that movie. If you don't believe me, ask Edward." I gulped as I tried to keep up with his pace.

He sighed at my side. "You saw it with Cullen?"

"Yep. And I made him wait for me to fall asleep before he did. He also had to sung me my lullaby, but don't tell anybody he'd kill me." I thought for some seconds and spoke again. "No, he wouldn't. He doesn't care a bit about what others think of him."

We were almost in the pier by now, and I was getting used to this threatening rocks. Jasper seemed in another planet for some minutes, his gaze lost in the distance of the water. He suddenly looked at me and frowned again.

"Your _lullaby_? What do you mean with your lullaby?" His voice was curious as he looked at me and then to the rocks so we wouldn't fall.

"Oh," I sighed. "It's Edward… he's so stupid he's made me a lullaby… you know he plays the piano." I rolled my eyes. Edward was always spoiling me. God.

I felt his hand contracting more than necessary then. "Yes, I know. He's got everything, hasn't he?"

But before I could answer anything we were already in front of a white boat.

"Welcome," He grinned as he gave me his hand again to help me enter. What?

My eyes widened as they tried to get as much information as possible. "What's this?"

"My father rents boats, so I asked him if he could lend me this one for tonight. It's not that luxurious but well… it's something." He shrugged and smiled.

Of course I knew his father rented boats, the same as I knew his mother didn't work, and that his sister Rosalie was a beautiful model. No way would I tell him this, he'd thought I was a stalker!

"It's truly awesome," I gasped as I saw the little boat behind my eyes. It had a little table in the middle of it and a tiny light.

His skills with the boat were amazing. I'd have never said Jasper would have skills in the water. That was truly something I thought only Edward had. Well – for people I know, of course.

We were already inside the boat and he was driving it with a little engine to somewhere in the middle. I had to say that at first I was bit scared, being in the grip of the night just with a tiny boat – but his ability with it made me realized there was nothing to fear. And to say the truth, the adventure of being with Jasper in the night and like this was too good as to not being enjoying it.

He suddenly took his bag and opened it. "So mademoiselle," he said faking a serious voice. "For tonight we have chicken sandwiches and chips…" He showed me our banquet, and shrugged. "Sorry it's not that much, but it wasn't going to be easy to make an elaborated meal in a boat."

"Hey, it's awesome. I love chicken sandwiches, really." I smiled trying to encourage him and helped him with the plastic dishes and cutlery.

His eyes were on me as he gave the first bite of his sandwich. "What else do you love?" he tried to mumble the less he could.

And I couldn't _not_ smile. "I don't know, I really love lots of things. Reading, laughing, feeling comfortable, spending time with my father, watching the moon and the stars. I love when there is justice in the world and hate the opposite. Love the peace and hate violence. I love when Edward plays the piano and let himself go, he seems to be just in the right place, in the place he'll always happy. I love thinking about my mother and remembering how much fun I had with her. Also her smell, one of the best I'd ever smelt. I love smelling Edward when I feel anxious, I don't know why, but it's awesome… maybe it remembers me something of my mother's one. Or maybe is because he makes me feel as safe as my mother had. Or maybe…" I trailed off and stared to the stars.

"Maybe?" He questioned arching an eyebrow, making me stare at him instead.

I shrugged. "I don't know… just makes me feel incredibly good." I smiled remembering the hundreds of time he sighed loudly when I started smelling him.

"Oh." He said and took another bite of his sandwich.

I thought he would continue talking but he just stayed quiet. I tried my sandwich and made my best to eat like a lady.

"It's really good," I said when I was done gulping. "Like seriously good."

"Really?" He grinned. "I made them." He said proud of himself. That was nice, a man that cooked was always worth it.

"You did? You like cooking?"

"I really do… But don't tell anybody it makes me feel a bit embarrassed." He mumbled and looked at the floor. Oh, cute.

I laughed a soft laugh. "You don't have to, you know, girls like that boys cook…" Thank God there was not too much light here either. Or my face would have exploded of the redness.

He arched an eyebrow in a playful way and whispered. "You like that?"

Hello Mr. Blush! "Umm, y-yes. I do like that." I finished with a confidence I didn't think I had.

He smiled a really childish smile in front of me. "If you like it, I'm glad I'm a cooker." He finished his sandwich and gulped. "In fact, I can cook for you some time if you want… You know, so you can see I truly cook and it isn't something I made up to impress girls. Well, _you_…"

Was Jasper Hale inviting me to a second date? "Hmm," I played a bit. "I'm really a tough critic, I don't know if you could impress me…"

In that second he put a face that I had to admit it was seriously sexy. "Trust me, I could."

Wow. He was seriously a player, or he knew what to say in order to make you drool over.  
Or I was just too naïve.

The date continued with the 'knowing each other' stage. We questioned about our past and our futures, also about our presents. We laughed a lot and play a bit. Sometimes he'd stare so much at me that'd have to look to another way because I felt too self conscious. I discovered he liked to produce that on me. But as I tried not to look away, the nervousness would always have the best of me and made me do it despite my will.

"So…" he said when we were done with the chips. "What are you doing Sunday night?"

And here it was coming. The 'not make it easy for him' appeared again in my brain. "Umm, I don't know, it's still Friday night."

I think he catch what I was doing because his eyes were playful the next time he looked at mine. "I know it is, but maybe I can show you my skills this Sunday?"

"Umm, I've to see if I don't have something else to do in my agenda." I played as I stared to the water.

"Oh, don't worry; just let me know as soon as possible so I can ask Lauren instead." My eyes met his involuntarily. I tried to say something smart but the words just wouldn't come out my system, I only could blink.

He was smiling and shaking his head as I stared blankly at him. "I was kidding. But your face was worth it." He laughed as he stood up to take something of the edge.

I cleared my throat as I tried to take that stupid face off me. Without thinking it twice I stood up myself and went to his side to give him a little push. Just to pay him for what he'd just said. And then…

_SPLASH._

"Oh my God, Jasper! I'm so sorry, stupid me! Are you alright?" I shouted as I realized I'd just thrown him to the water. Couldn't I be more clumsy?! GOD! "I swear I was kidding I just wanted to push you a little bit, so sorry! Please take my hand so I can help you!"

Jasper was still in the water and I couldn't interpret his expression entirely. I was just praying he wouldn't hate me after this.

He did as I said. And well just…

_SPLASH._

"Y-Y-YOU TH-THREW M-ME TO THE W-WATER?!" I was trying to breathe calmly but the scared to the water was overpowering my senses. "I hate the water!"

Jasper was laughing as hell as he tried to take me in his arms so I wouldn't drown. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry… It was too perfect."

I splashed him some water as I tried to put myself together. But I couldn't not laugh myself, the situation was really bizarre. "I really am scared of the water; ask Edward if you don't believe me!"

He was suddenly serious. "I don't have to ask him… I believe you."

I nodded at his side. And suddenly he was closer to me. My heart pounced with violence as he came even closer – still holding me with his hands so I wouldn't drown.

"T-the water is pretty warm, don't you think?" I tried to say anything that wouldn't make me look that lunatic. The truth was that I was too much of a chicken to stay quite and let myself go.

"Mhm," he breathed. "It's really nice…" Our bodies were now touching and he started to approximate his face when I suddenly realize what was happening.

"Jasper, the boat!" I yelled as I pointed him the boat that was now some meters of us.

"Oh, sh*t!" He exclaimed as he put one hand in his hair. "Come on, let's swim to there, take my back!" He commanded in a rush and started swimming.

I had to say the swimming skills wasn't as good as Edward's ones but it may do. We finally reached the boat and climbed it. Way too much adrenaline for one night.

We both sighed as we lied down in the boat looking to the starry sky. And then we both started laughing.

"I can't believe that just happened," Jasper said as he tried to breathe. "This is seriously the funniest date I've ever had." He smiled and looked at me deeply on the eyes.

"Yep. My dress appreciated the water." I tried to joke as I take some water off it.

"I think it looks really nice, it looks kind of… _sexy_." He whispered at my ear and chuckled. The sound gave tickles to every inch of my body and I bit my lip a bit self conscious.

"Wow," I looked at the watch in my wrist. "It's almost midnight, we should really get going."

He sat up in the same moment. "We really should, I don't want to give the wrong impression to the Sheriff in our first date."

Blush! "Yes, you know when he's mad he likes to use his gun." I made a creepy face.

He gulped. "We shouldn't let that happen." He grinned and started the engine.

The way home was quiet and wet. We were still all wet but laughing about it.

"So…" he murmured as he parked in the front of my house. "I really wasn't joking about Sunday night…Would you like me to cook you dinner?" This time his voice sounded not nervous at all. He was so sure it gave me goose bump.

I tried to talk despite my anxious heart. "Of course. I would love to be your critic."

He smiled. "Great, I'd love that too." And with that he started coming closer to me. His eyes deeply on mine. I didn't chicken like the other time, and just closed my eyes. My heart was pouncing with force but it actually felt really nice.

The gap between us was almost closed, but my eyes were shut now. I felt his breathing almost in my lips and then, unexpectedly, 'It's raining men' started sounding from my bag.

We both jumped and I grabbed the damn cell phone with shaky hands. 'New message from Edward' it said in the screen.

"Cullen…" He sighed at my side. I sighed too and put the cell phone in again. I'd read it later when I could kill him.

"Yep, I'm sorry. I should get going," I mumbled as I grabbed my bag and opened the door.

"Yes, we don't want to get the sheriff upset." He laughed. "So I meet you at my house on Sunday night, at seven maybe?"

"Sure." I smiled. "At seven I'll be there. Thanks for tonight, I really enjoyed it..."

"Great, because I enjoyed it too." he grinned as he pecked my cheek softly.

"Bye…" I breathed as I entered to my house. When I was inside I took my cell phone from my bag:

"_You still with Hale?_"

I clenched my fists and rolled my eyes.

"_I was until 'It's raining men interrupted us! : Couldn't u find a more glaring song?? You Jerk!_ " And with that I pressed send.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_'Sorry… Oh and the song it's just too funny. So… how was it?'_I

entered to my room and lied down in my bed not before putting the cell in vibration mode. _'Awful.'_

He wrote the next one immediately. _'=?'_

'Just kidding. I'd a really fun time.'

'Fun is good?'

I smiled. '_It's awesome.'_

'Glad to hear that.'

':) I told u we were gonna talk tomorrow… why the msg?'

'I couldn't sleep :S'

I thought for a minute before answering. _'You tried with the piano?'_ That was something that'd always helped him.

_'Don't wanna wake anybody up.'_

'*sigh* how was ur night? You saw JessicASS? LOL' I had to bit my tongue not to burst laughing and wake up Charlie.

_'That's not funny – k can't lie. It really is. Hahaha. You r mean. I don't get why everyone thinks u r nice. :P And yes I saw her n the night was ok like always. She was needy…'_

'Ew!! I didn't need details! *goes puck n comes back* Now, I'm not mean I'm just realistic she's a needy ass! LMFAO.' Again I'd to bit my tongue – harder now. But something made me uncomfortable… I suddenly didn't feel as good as before. But I couldn't really interpret why, so I just put it on a side.

_'ROFL. That could have double meaning there. N I didn't say anything grouse you just started imagining urself!'_

':$. U r the pervert here and that 'double meaning' comment was grouse too. GROUSE GROUSE GROUSE.'

'U r a baby sometimes……. But I guess I love u for that :)'

I had to smile. _'And I hate you.'_

His message came later once again. _'Are u never gonna tell me u love me too?'_

'Do you want me to lie to you?'

'Jeez, thanks!'

'XD I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!! U R MY BFFFFFFFFFFFF.'

'Why so many Fs?'

'Because of all the lives we're gonna have. I'll love u in all of them XD.' That was something I was truly sure of.

_'HAHA. Still with that? Umm I want to be a lion in one of them – a mountain lion. Rawwr.'_

I laughed picturing him like a mountain lion and put on my sweat in a second. '_Yep, still! Well I picture u like that, so maybe ;)'_

_'We r already talking like crazy people. U noticed?'_

I laughed again and sighed. '_We r crazy, E!'_

'I _know… Alice is right. LMAO.'_

This message was just perfect. '_LOL! Talking about Alice… u r sometimes a bit TOO overprotective with her… don't u think?'_

The replied delayed more than necessary again. And I wondered if he was feeling guilty as he always did. A lump formed in my throat.

_'I really don't wanna talk about Alice… Not about that at least.'_

Always the same with Edward. _'I know u don't… but we have to talk about it some day.'_

'Can't it be another one? =D'

I lied my head on the pillow_.'*Sigh* OK! What u wanna talk about so?'_

'Hmm don't know. Wanna go for a drive?'

My eyes widened with this last message. '_WHAT? E it's almost 2 am!'_

'So what? It's summer!' I could just picture him with that playful look on him and already with the keys on one hand.

_'Yeah tell that to the sheriff, here!'_

'The sheriff is asleep, besides we're good friends. :)'

I rolled my eyes. '_LOL Not after tonight, I guess!'_

'C'mon it will be funnnnnnn. And about tonight, well… for some reason the cell phone interrupted.'

Was that the case? Didn't want to think about this either, so I left it on a side too. God, I was leaving _a lot_ of things on a side tonight.

_'Yeah because you sent me a msg! And I think I've had enough fun for tonight ;)'_

_'Nah. It doesn't compare.'_

I sighed. '_U WISH.'_

'_Sure, sure… And what did I interrupt anyway?_'

Even though I was alone the red appeared in my face. '_You'll just have to wait for tomorrow when you come too in the morning XD. Angela is coming too.'_

'NO WAY AM I WAITING! U R TELLING ME RIGHT NOW. COME ON BELL!!! '

'Bye bye EDWIN. See you tomorrow morning! DON'T WAKE ME UP, JERK!' I pressed send and turn off my bedside lamp.

The buzz came again from the bedside table in that second. _'You've earned it for not telling me now. Muahahahaha.'_

I ground my teeth and rolled my eyes. '_Just don't make it so bad. :('_

_'I'll do my best ;)'_

'Hate you!'

'Tonight I hate you too.'

I pouted and closed my eyes… One minute later:

'_That was a lie. I LOVE YOU :)'_  
I smiled and was unconscious in just seconds.

***

"Edward you can't wake her up! You know how she goes when someone wake her up, and more if it's you!" There was a buzzing in my room, but I was still too asleep to really hear anything. What I did know is that it was bothering my tired ears.

"Shh! You'll wake her up!" I heard another buzzing. It was somehow deeper.

I heard the other buzzing snorting. "What's the big deal if you are going to wake her up anyway?" This buzzing seemed annoyed.

"It's not the same, Angela. Just--- she deserves it, 'kay? Besides, I love the face she puts when someone wakes her up. It's too funny and kind of cute." I heard the other deeper buzzing laughing.

"Alright, but please let me out of this. I don't want her to get mad at me!" The first buzzing sounded a bit worried.

The deeper buzzing sighed. "Ang, who can possibly get mad at you? Seriously, they have to be really messed up."

I heard the other buzzing laughed now, a kind of surrendered laugh. "How do you convince everyone? God, you are unbelievable!"

I heard the deeper buzzing chuckling. "Now, hold on the water…" This buzzing sighed a bit annoyed and impatient. "Just one minute, please? Promise I let you out of this…"

"Alright, but what are you going to do to her?" The worried of the nice buzzing sounded again.

"Just wet her a bit so she can wake up, an innocent thing…" The deeper buzzing said in a mischievous way. I kind of didn't like this buzzing that much… didn't know why though.

"Poor Bella… Just do it already…" I heard the nice buzzing breathed and then--------

"WH-WHAT THE HELL?!" I shouted as I jumped for the feeling of some cold liquid touching my warm body. My eyes needed only a few seconds to adjust to the light… and to the two persons that were inside my tiny room.

There it was _him_, Edward Cullen, with a glass full of water beside him in my table bedside and laughing as crazy. Then I saw my body, I was all covered in water, ALL OF IT. Well, alright, maybe not _all_ of it, but enough!

So without thinking it twice I launched to him with all my strength bringing both of us to the woody floor. The sound of his back on the floor resounded, and luckily my body was protected because I fell over him. Ha! He deserved that!

"Ouch!" Edward complained with his eyes closed and still a smile on his lips.

"OUCH?! YOU THREW ME WATER TO WAKE ME UP! WHAT OUCH? YOU DESERVE MUCH WORSE!" I tried to say as menacing as possible. The truth was, with water and all; the situation was just too hilarious not to laugh. But well, even with my lack of artistic skills, I did my best to stay serious.

"I do?" He opened his emerald eyes and stared at mine. "And what are you gonna do about it? Huh?"

"Psst," Was all I could say before starting to fight with his arms. _Psst_, I thought again. Fighting with Edward's arms? The ones that were fitting almost every day and that were probably bigger and stronger than any of the other boys of this town? Yeah right, Bella. Keep dreaming!

"Hmm, not that bad…" He bragged grabbing both of my hands with one of his. It truly felt as if he wasn't doing any strength at all. "But not enough, either!"

He whispered in my ear and rolled me over so now he was on top of me. And well, of course, I was under him.

"You are not so rough now, aren't you?" He chuckled, restraining my hands above my head with his.

Alright, continue fighting wouldn't make things better – he was clearly stronger than me. So, I tried the other way, the way which most of the times men fall.

"Oh, please, Eddie…" I pouted; staring deeply into his eyes with what I thought was a sweet look. Okay – I was never a Casanova either! "Please, let off me, you are hurting me and besides I really wanna pee."

Edward frowned. But for some reason his eyes were still glued to mine. "Really?" He cleared his throat.

Hehe. "Really, Eddie… please?" I pouted one more time and made that face I'd always hated – puppy eyes.

He stared at me for some more seconds, as if he was deliberating. And then, with a sigh, he let off me. Slowly, with caution.

And it was just enough.

I took the glass of water with a tough movement – I seriously would have never believe I could make – and threw it entirely in his face, hair and chest. Yep – big glass.

And now it was my turn to laugh – and not just me, Angela was laughing through her hand on her mouth too.

I saw Edward lost for some seconds, as if he hadn't entirely realized what just happened. His mouth was a bit opened and his hands on the air, as expecting the enemy. But I'd made my revenge, and it was sweet.

"Isn't it tasty, Eddie?" I played with an over sweet voice and grinned mischievously. Oh my, his face. Priceless. His eyes were a bit annoyed but I could see the real amusement behind them. And I had to say, I enjoyed this wars with him as much as him. Though I would never admit it out loud.

"You are lucky I can't live without you, if not, you'd probably be dead by now," He tried to say in a serious tone – but the smile was giving him up.

I grinned. "Yeah, glad you can't." I then gave Edward a towel – throwing it to him - and went to greet Angela that was sitting in a chair, looking quietly to the situation. Thank God she already knew us, if not she'd have thought we were truly locos! Which we were, but that was not the case here.

After asking them to wait downstairs so I could have some minutes to get a shower and be human again – not before the obvious Edward's question: _"Oh, what are you? A vampire?"_ And my shuddered in response; I'd always hated vampires - I went to meet them in my living room. Charlie was long gone to the station, and I couldn't sometimes not wonder how it could be if Charlie didn't work so much… As hard as it may be, I really thought he need a partner, someone he could share his life with – apart from his teenage daughter.

"So," Angela said sitting me down in front of them. And here it was coming. "Tell us everything." She was grinning so much I thought her jaw may dislocate. Luckily that didn't happen.

I sighed. "What do you really want to know?"

They both answered in the same time, but the answers were different. One of them said, 'Everything…' and the other 'What did I interrupt?' Guess who said which?

I could feel this was going to be long, so I just made it easy. "Alright, I'll say the most important things of the date, and then use your imagination. Don't let it fly so much though, remember it was our first date?" I glared at Edward at the end.

They both nodded and listened carefully – I could see it for their serious expressions. It was funny, really.

I breathed deeply. "He took me to his father's boat, we ate chicken swandiches he made, we both finished in the water, when we were already here he was going to kiss me when--- 'Its raining men' appeared." I took another deep breathe and waited silently for their reactions.

"Wow," Angela said her eyes wide. "It seemed awesome."

I smiled a bit embarrassed. "It was…"

Edward had a face I couldn't really interpret. But it was different.

"Calling Edward from whatever planet he is!" I shouted as I waved my hand in front of him.

He suddenly woke up of his trance. "You fall to the water, seriously?"

"Yep."

"_How_?" He questioned arching an eyebrow. I could sense his big intrigue.

"I said you have to use your imagination," I played with a mysterious voice.

"I can see you really took care of yourself," He muttered.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, please Edward, he might not be you, but he knows how to swim."

"Sure," He said almost under his breath and stared at the floor.

Angela looked at me then at him and sighed. "Oh, so… tell me the most romantic thing, please!" Angela sang with happy eyes.

Hello red! "Hmm, I don't know… maybe that he cooked the food, and that he actually let me talk almost all the night so he could know me better… or the fact that he wants to cook for me next---"

But the sound Edward was making by hitting a stick with the table cut me off, and kind of annoyed me.

"Would you stop with that? Is really annoying, I'm actually trying to tell something to someone that actually cares," I said as if he would catch the hint.

"Sorry," He mumbled and stopped. His eyes were in the floor in a boring way.

"Why did you ask about my date if you were going to have that boring face, anyway? I listen to you when you talk about Jessica!"

"You mean JessicASS?" He said with an arched eyebrow. He was a bit annoyed, I could tell by his tone and his rigid posture. He was always tense when he felt uncomfortable. What I couldn't get was the reason behind it.

I glared at him and laughed a bit. "Well you are right, but I listen to you anyway! And now I'm telling you about my date with Jasper---"

But the sound of a motorcycle cut me off again. And not just my voice – my heart too.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N****: ** _Sorry for the long wait. Here it is. I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for some mistakes! If you can listen to 'White Horse' by Taylor Swift while reading this chapter, it gives more intensity :). PLEASE comment back telling me what you think about it!_

_Emma Dreams._

**Chapter 13**

The three of us knew who was on that motorbike – I could see that for their torn expressions. No one moved, we all stayed as frozen statues. What scared me the most was Edward's face, his features were dangerous. His eyes darkened, his mouth in a thin line, his fists clenched.

My heart pounced with violence as I heard the sound stopped abruptly – and just too near from my house. I needed to grab the sides of the sofa in order not to disarm me – I suddenly felt as weak as ever. And the whole in my chest was showing its presence.

Edward's eyes were intense when he stood up with a fast movement. I met his eyes with desperation.

"Stay here." he muttered cautioning with his index on the air.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't believe _he_ was here. The words were buried deep down my body, but I made the impossible to let them out. "B-but Edward, wh-what---"

"Just stay here, Bell. I'll be back in just some minutes." He almost growled as he stormed through the door.

Angela was by my side in a second, pulling me into a sweet hug. But I was just too anxious, too hysteric to let her calm me down. So even without thinking it twice I stood up and tried to reach the door despite my shaky legs. I was seriously weak – the pain of knowing he was just mere meters of me, from all this time we'd been apart, was barely killing me.

"Bella, don't go—" Angela shouted, but I was already outside.

OUCH. OUCH. _OUCH._

That was the first feeling when I saw his still too beautiful face. OUCH. It ached inside so much… As if I were a drug addict and I'd suddenly had that drug back, the one my body had been aching since the very first day.

He was still sitting in his black motorbike at the beginning of my block. I could see Edward approaching him with sure steps, his head up as if wanting to provoke scare.

I made my best to stay calm, but I just wanted to run to the stop, to see him from a closer place. So I made a quick pace, though my feet were threatening to give me away to the ground.

Jacob's eyes were in Edward's. And they were kind of sarcastic. Oh, that son of a b*tch! How dare he come to my house with that look on his face? I suddenly wanted to erase it with my fist. But I just took a deep breathe and keep walking – faster now.

Suddenly Jacob's eyes went from Edward's to mine. He looked at me so deeply that I thought they were going to kill me now and here. I wanted to look away, but I just couldn't. He was just so different… so grown up. Almost like a man.

His body was enormous, and his features older – as if he'd lived things that made him grow up in more ways than just physically. The whole cracked even more, when his lips turned into Jacob's smile. The one that had always rocked my world.

Edward's growl suddenly made me come back to reality. "What are you doing here, _Black_?"

"Eddie," Jacob smiled another sarcastic smile. "I should ask that to you, don't I? You _still_ here?"

I was just a few steps from there now. But I stayed there, didn't want to be so close to him, to put myself in such a difficult position. But the question Edward made resounded again in my head, just a little bit distorted – WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING HERE?!

"I'm always here. But you didn't answer my question, what do you think you are doing here? How dare you come here after what you've done to Bella?" Edward growled again. I swear I'd never seen him like this.

"I prefer answering that to her, if you don't mind." Jacob's eyes met mine again. And now he was walking to my spot. My heart pounced with violence again, and I needed to clutch my feet to the ground with force not to fall.

Edward suddenly noticed I was just some steps behind him, and he almost ran to my spot, to put himself just in front of me.

"Hey Bells, how are ya?" The sound of that nickname made me cringed. I hadn't let anybody called me like that after what happened, that name was also prohibited in this town. And hearing it again was… just too much.

He was just a couple of feet from me, talking to me as if nothing had happened before. How dared him?! After all I suffered for him, he came home like this without and explanation and with a 'Hey Bells, how _are_ ya'?! How you think I am, b*st*rd!

"I'm fine." I said anyway. I tried to stop the words, but they just came out no matter what I'd do.

He smiled at me again. "Glad to hear that, Bells."

I heard Edward laughing bitterly this time. "Glad to hear that?! You are truly unbelievable Black. Just get out of here." Edward muttered at the end, his voice menacing again.

Jacob glared at him. "You are so not telling me what to do. I didn't come to see you anyway…"

"So why _did_ you came?" But it was me talking this time. There was something inside me, something that brought me up with courage. Something that didn't want to shut up, that wanted to know - _why?._ A question that had bugged me since he'd hurt me when I was fifteen.

Jacob obviously didn't expect my question, because his eyes widened. "Umm, I just wanted to check how you were… I came yesterday from my trip, and just… _missed you_."

OUCH. Was he freaking kidding me?! My legs shook with violence so much that I had to hold on to Edward's shoulders with both of my hands not to fall. My heart almost crashed my chest.

I was going to say any stupid thing when Edward talked first – well, he almost yelled.

"Get the HELL out of here, Jacob! Just get lost, _now_."

Jacob shook his head and laughed another sarcastic laugh. Had he learnt that yesterday that he was doing it almost at every five seconds? "Who are _you_ to tell me that?"

Edward paused for some seconds, and then his hand met mine in his shoulder. "I'm her boyfriend."

I almost choked there. And I saw Jacob with the same surprised expression. The only difference was that I composed myself right in the moment and squeezed Edward's hand, and Jacob just stayed with that 'I've-just-swallowed-a-whole-carrot-in-one-bite' face.

"Oh," Jacob tried to say, his eyes darkened. "Congrats… Since when?." He muttered and fumed at Edward.

Guess what? "Six months," Edward said. "Three months," I said. AT THE SAME TIME.

We both looked at each other with a 'oops' look. "Three months," Edward said. "Six months," I said. AT THE SAME TIME, AGAIN!

Seriously, it seemed a bad joke here! Could anything else happen?!

Jacob frowned and laughed. Hello again Mr. Sarcastic! "I see you are one of those couples that really care. Cullen I saw you more of a gentleman, here." Alright, why was everyone saying that to Edward? He was the most gentleman man I'd ever met!

Edward's hand contracted more than necessary in mine and I could hear his teeth grinding. "Gentleman?" Edward laughed. "You talking me about being a gentleman? Please Jacob, I'm asking you this in the nice way, I really don't wanna go to the bad one. Just go, alright? Do it for your sake, here."

Wow. Edward was really making himself listen, and that just made me smile a little bit on my inside.

Jacob wasn't expecting this Edward either. And I could see him a bit lost. "I'm really not scared of you at all; you can come whenever you want. I'll be waiting." Jacob threatened holding one hand in the air as Neo in The Matrix.

I was going to step in, in order to stop this glaring fight when Edward talked before.

"I'd be more than pleased to go, but it's just that…" He sighed in a boring way. "You are really _not_ worthy."

And I just had to bit my tongue hard not to laugh after seeing Jacob's distorted face. He was truly shocked. "I-I---"

"_You_ have to leave." Edward cut him off. GO EDWARD!

He shook his head some times. "Not doing it for you, Cullen. Just so you know this isn't over. You just get on my nerves too much."

"You don't know how you got on mine." Edward growled one more time.

Jacob then stared directly into my eyes one more time and started walking away. "I'll be seeing you soon, Bells. I'm really looking forward to that. _Really_. And Cullen you already know!" He shouted while making a 'Watching-you' expression with his hands. And then like a flash he climbed to his bike and stormed through the street with a speed that I was sure wasn't allowed.

Suddenly as if somehow everything that had happened in these few minutes had just landed over every inch of my body, I held on to Edward's shoulder and started to cry.

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	16. Chapter 15

_**A/N: Sorry for leave hanging for so long! Here it is! Thank you for your comments :) Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. Please comment back!!!**_

**Chapter 15**

"Hey, are you alright?" Edward whispered after almost twenty minutes of hearing to the almost muted sound of my tears streaming down my face. We were sitting on the asphalt, inhaling the cool air of a storm that was forming up in the sky.

I breathed deeply. My throat was almost aching by now for the excess of movement. "Better…" I muttered with a husky voice.

He smiled at me and wiped my tears away. "Don't let that jerk doubt about how strong you are. You really are unbelievably strong, I think - the strongest person I've ever known… I truly admire you Bella."

I blushed with his sweet words. "You are just telling me this so I don't feel so down."

"No, no," he shook his head. "I know it looks like that but I really feel it. Just letting you know that you can bare a lot more than you think, and it's good to cry anyway. Cry makes you stronger…" He smiled again.

"Thanks, _boyfriend_." I joked, making a kissing face to him. A loud guffaw escaped our lips at the same time as we of course thought about that twist he'd given to our relationship.

He shook his head a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry for that it's the first thing that came to my mind." He smiled his Colgate smile and messed his hair up. "But you could see him really upset."

I nodded thinking of the carrot face Jacob had when Edward said those magic words.

"You really should do something with that imagination you have, you know?" I teased as I felt my voice coming to normality again.

He made a superior like face. "I know, I know… what can I do with this creative mind of mine?"

"Just use it wisely," I stared at him.

"When don't I?"

When you are with that JessicASS, that's when! "I don't know, sometimes…" I shrugged.

"Yeah, you use yours wisely too." His tone was something I couldn't really interpret. So I just frowned at him and sighed.

"Hey, Ed?" I said after some minutes of being quite.

"Mhm?" He mumbled with his eyes lost in some thought.

"Thank you." I smiled at him. His smile met mine in the same moment.

"You don't have to thank me anything." He shrugged. "That's what friends do."

"I know, but… I really couldn't have done it without you. You are always there, no matter what, no matter… and I just appreciate that." I smiled from my heart, feeling the truth of my own words.

He bit his lip a bit self conscious and stared to the front. "Yeah… well, that's only because I'm addicted to your company. I couldn't do it any other way… and besides, you are always there for me too." He shrugged and smiled that crook smile of his.

I nodded and smiled back. Then, it hit me. "Ed?"

"Yeah?" He sighed.

"What are we gonna do with that lie? It's not like you said it's sunny and it isn't! I mean… what if he says something?"

I met his panicked stare. "I really haven't think about that…" He said thoughtfully.

"So," I sighed. "Any suggestion there, creative mind?" I played.

He laughed back, arching his neck backwards. "Yeah, I deserved that. Let me think a bit and then I tell you. You know big genius have their inspiring break."

I punched him lightly on the arm. "Yeah, big genius like you, for example?"

"Exactly." He grinned childishly.

The quietness came again. That was happening a lot lately. Suddenly I remembered. "Ed?"

"Yeah?" He sighed again, as if there had been too many interruptions.

"Where is Ang?" I laughed.

His hand met his forehead. "Jeez! You're right! It's been like…" He looked to his match. "Half an hour, and she still hasn't come to the street? That's weird."

I nodded. "Should we go inside and see that she isn't dead?"

Edward chuckled and stood up. "We seriously should." After offering his hand to help me, we almost ran to the entrance.

We entered to the house with worry in our features. Edward made a gun with his hands and made a 'shh' placing his index in his lips. I wanted to laugh. He'd always found the fun in a serious topic. He started going through the walls like in a spy movie, moving like a stealthy cat. I followed his joke and stayed right behind him with the same home made gun on my hands. We were holding back the laughter so much that I though we'd explode.

Suddenly we started hearing a buzz… and then it turned into a voice. We both frowned and stayed frozen for a second.

"Oh my God, Edward! Somebody is here! What if Angela is hurt?" I whispered almost freaking out.

He put one hand on my shoulder and gave me a 'relax' look. "Just stay behind me." He whispered back.

This wasn't so funny anymore. The laughter was almost on our feet right now, and I was actually scared. The voice was stronger with every step we did. But it seemed to be just _one_.

I stopped him. "What?" He modulated.

"Why is only one talking?" I mumbled back with a surprised face.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't know, I'm here with you!"

"Right. Sorry." I murmured and he kept going.

When we were already behind the living room's door, where the voice seemed to be coming. It sounded much clearer - and kind of really familiar.

Edward made a one, two, three with his fingers and he opened the living room's door with a tough movement.

And there she was… Angela totally asleep and talking in her dreams.

We both looked at each other for some seconds, trying to adjust our system to the lack of danger. I didn't know Angela talked in her dreams – and for Edward's face I was sure he didn't either.

"Hmm," We heard Angela saying. "Ben, come here!"

We both automatically put our hands on our mouth to not burst in there. Impossible, Angela was having a dream with Ben? Our sweet, innocent Angela?

"No way," Edward whispered to me as he shook his head.

"I'm gonna wake her up!" I cautioned him. I really felt embarrassed for Angela, I sure wouldn't want anybody to listen to a dream like that.

Edward restrained me with his hands on my waist. "Oh, come on Bell! Just let's listen to a bit. Just some minutes, please." He had those 'too-funny' eyes on mine.

I meditated for some seconds. The proposal was too tempting. "I mean, we are her friends… it's not that we don't know her or Ben… We know her relationship so, we aren't hearing nothing new here, right?"

"Right." He grinned.

She stayed quite for some seconds with a smile on her lips and then she talked again. Much louder now. "Oh, Ben I need----"

"ANGELA!" I shouted through the room. No way was I going to let her finish that sentence. Edward was almost peeing himself right here and now. And I had to bit my tongue hard not to laugh when Angela sat up in a second with a disoriented face.

"What—" She began saying and trailed of, rubbing her head with one hand.

I came closer to her, leaving Edward on the other side of the room, still not being able to compose. God, he was such a baby sometimes.

"Sorry, Ang. I really didn't want to wake you up, but…" I bend to her and whispered. "You were kind of talking on your dreams, and Ben was involve…" I made my best to make my voice soft so it wouldn't be such a shock for her.

But anyway she turned crimson red. "Oh my," She shook her head. "Was it that bad?" She claimed as she peeped at Edward that was still in his own funny world.

I shook my head and bit my tongue again. "No, not really. You didn't say anything glaring."

"Right…" Suddenly she started laughing too. And there I burst out. The three of us were laughing at crazy, just letting our tension go away. I really needed this kind of therapy, I needed to let myself go a bit and relax.

We kept on in that state for minutes that seemed like ages. And then when the tension had dissipated almost completely, we sighed and landed the three of us in my couch.

"It has been forever since I'd last laugh like that…" Angela said huskily.

Edward breathed. "Yeah, seriously, good therapy."

"So," Angela mumbled. "I know you probably don't want to talk Bella, so I'm just going to ask one question. Was it that bad?"

I felt Edward tensing at my side. And I did my best not to ground my teeth. "Maybe worse… but I think we handle it pretty good. Huh?" I smiled at Edward.

"We tried at least." He shrugged and smile back at me.

The three of us stayed quite for some minutes and then I remembered that I never had the chance to actually finish the proposal. "I'm going out with Jasper tomorrow night… Well, I'm actually going to his house. He's cooking for me." There was something odd when I said this out loud, maybe it was for having Jacob back in my life, but there was just something else. Something I couldn't identify that felt wrong.

Both of their pair of eyes were in mine in the precise second. Angela had her happy face.

"Oh my God, Bella! That is awesome!" She grinned, excited.

Edward's face on the other hand was just… weird. "Cool."

"Jeez, thanks for the enthusiasm!" I said sarcastically. He seemed like a dead body when he said that word.

He frowned. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, maybe you can be more enthusiastic?"

He breathed deeply and rolled his eyes. "WOW, Bella! That's SO cool! Awesome! Amazi—"

"Okay, I got it!" I slapped at him a bit annoyed. God, he was acting like a jerk lately when it was about Jasper.

Angela suddenly stood up. "I should go, Ben is waiting for me."

"Really?" Edward and I said at the same time.

"Yes, really." Her face held a wisdom I didn't get. She just giggled and kept shaking her head.

"Ang, are you alright?" I questioned a bit worried.

She took her bag and nodded with that same face. "Yes. It's just that, I'm such a genius really."

"Okay?" Edward said as he gave me a 'está-loca' face.

And I couldn't _not_ laugh. Even though I was trying to stay mad at him.

"TRULY AM!" She said astonished and with a 'see you guys later' she shot the front door.

"What do you wanna do?" Edward asked as he stretched in my sofa.

I glared at him. "With you, nothing."

He sighed at my side. "Come on, Bell. I was playing, are you mad?" He made that puppy face I hate so much.

Though I was trying as hell to stay serious, the corner of my mouth would just lift in a smile alone. "Maybe I am." I said anyway, crossing my arms over my chest.

He placed his head on my shoulder and stared at me with that same face. "I'm sorry, don't be mad… I'm a jerk sometimes."

I sighed and smiled. "You really are."

"Yep."

"Like a total jerk, with caps lock."

"Mhm."

"And underline with---"

"Got it Bell, you don't have to tell me every Word's command." He chuckled.

I laughed back. "You should E, I know you want to go and see Jassicas---a."

He glared at me for a second but let if off when I gave him a childish face. "Nah, it's fine. You need me more right now."

I had to smile, my always awesome best friend. "It's okay, really. Charlie should be getting home in any minute." It was almost twilight by now. I kind of loved this time of the day; there was something on it that made it special.

"Don't worry, I'm fine here." He took a woody ornament and started throwing it up and catching it.

I sighed. "Why are you kind always avoiding Jessica?"

He stopped abruptly. "I'm not."

"Yes you are, you are always looking an excuse. Aren't you happy with her?" I didn't know why I was asking this now. But I suddenly found it intriguing.

He sighed and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, I mean… Maybe what I get with her is not completely what I want."

I glared at him. "Come on, Edward! She gives you _everything_, you have her any night you want."

"Exactly," He mumbled.

"I'm a bit lost…"

"Why do you assume that what I'm looking for is sex?" He asked a bit annoyed and stared directly into my eyes.

My eyes widened with this word. I was really immature when it came to this topic. And I was sure I'd blushed. "I-I don't know… I assume that because you are guy, it's not what you want? What are you doing with Jessica so?"

"What are you doing with Jasper? Do you want to have sex with him?" His voice came stronger.

My eyes widened again. "Jeez, no! I barely know him, of course not…" I thought for a second. "Besides, I'm never going to have sex."

He laughed in a sarcastic way. "Sure Bell, keep thinking that if it's gonna make you feel happy."

I punched his arm. "It's true! I'm never going to have sex…" I stared at my hands a bit self conscious. "I'm only going to make love." I mumbled, too ashamed to say it directly.

He stayed quiet for some seconds, but I was too afraid to look up and see what face he had.

"That's really nice, you know?" He said with a soft voice. "You really make it feel so special."

"It is…" I mumbled again and looked to his face. His eyes were suddenly sad.

"I guess I've never made love so…" He shrugged.

"Hey!" I punched his arm in an attempt to make him look at me. "We are so young! It's natural that you haven't made love yet and it's natural too that you have had sex. I'm the weird one here." I laughed trying to light the tense atmosphere.

"I guess." He shrugged his shoulders one more time. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to try it."

"Yeah, me too." I said blushing. God, I was somehow confessing my best friend I wanted try it. Weird twilight.

An awkward silence take the room where we were. The first one in… forever? Luckily a the sound of a car parking broke the silence. Oh, thanks Charlie!


	17. Chapter 16

_**A/N**__**: Sorry for the long wait! Here is chapter 16. Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK, no one comments :( Even if you don't like it, tell me what you think and I'm all for constructive criticize ;)**_

**Chapter 16**

Charlie was a bit tired so I made a quick pasta with butter and cheese. Edward had already gone home. So Charlie and I were now still eating in the kitchen, Charlie's eyes completely on the food – not letting the tiniest of spaces between gulps.

"Wow Bell, this is so awesome." He mumbled as he finished his plate.

I rolled my eyes, but the compliment made me happy inside. "It's just pasta dad, I didn't make it… I just cooked it and added the butter and the cheese. You want more?" I asked as I stood up and put my dish on the washbasin.

Charlie clapped his belly with both hands. "No, I'm fine, thanks. And it's not just pasta; you have a gift for cooking."

And I just couldn't _not_ smile from my inside. Maybe Jasper and I were more similar than I'd originally thought. Putting to a side the fact that he thought _Wuthering Heights_ was a TV series, I think we could be quite fine together.

Charlie was still sitting on the table as I finished the dishes. That was something new – Charlie never stayed in the table, he would usually go and watch some game on the T.V. I had to peep at his expression from time to time while drying the dishes. There was just something odd in his face too – on his features. Like worry and… _sadness_.

"Alright, dad. What is it?" I questioned when I couldn't stand the anxious anymore.

Charlie incorporated in his chair putting his elbows on the table and looking directly into my eyes. Okay, now I was worried. What was this whole thing about?

When I thought I was going crazy for the mute of his voice, he sighed.

"Jacob Black is back." He almost muttered under his breathe. Jacob _Black_? Yeah, like I would know another Jacob… please, with one was enough.

I looked at my hands. "I know."

"_What_?" His tone had gained an anxious edge by now. And I was sure he was frowning. "How do _you_ know?"

I seriously didn't want to revive everything again, so I just looked at him and made it quick. "He came here, he wanted to see me and know how I was. Luckily Edward was here too and he ----"

"Wa-wa-wait! JACOB CAME HERE?" Yep, Charlie was almost purple.

"Oh, dad, _please_… I so don't want to talk about it right now." I said defeated. Suddenly all the tension I'd been accumulated came all together making me want to fall asleep here and now. I was exhausted.

"Alright, if you don't want to talk about it you don't have to." He said with a worried expression on his face. I was sure my face wasn't so nice right now. "Just remember, I'm Chief Swan. Alright? Don't forget that, kiddo." He said and winked at me.

I laughed. "Don't worry, Chief Swan. I've everything under control." Charlie came to my side and gave me a bear hug.

"What would we do without Eddie, huh?" He shook his head and after a 'Good night' he went to the living room. Yeah, yeah… always Eddie! The truth was I was as convinced on that as my father was. _What would I do without Edward?_

The soft bed felt incredibly good to my tired legs. I was almost in heaven. The darkness overcame me so quickly that I thought the moon had fallen. But the light came again… and I was now in a totally different scenario.

_The moon was full in the starry sky… there wasn't even a cloud. And I was in the boat, in Jasper's boat. But I was feeling so alive and at the same time I felt such an enormous peace inside… completely relaxed. Completely happy._

The water was shining beyond the light of the stars, and there was an awesome aroma in the air. I was almost like flying…

Suddenly I saw the back of a man's figure on the edge of the boat. And I smiled at him. He slowly turned around… and there he was, my best friend, smiling at me as lovingly as I'd just done.

He came closer to me, his steps sure. His eyes deep on mine.

"How are you, love?" He said with a soft voice and smiled that crooked smile of him. "I love you."

"I love you too." I sang.

His lips came closer to mine until they met them…

"OH MY GOD!" I screamed as I sat up from my bed in impossible speed.

"Bella, are you alright?" I heard Charlie calling from down stairs.

My head was spinning around. "Y-yeah dad, just a… nightmare."

"'Kay kiddo, sleep a bit more… it's just seven in the morning." But I couldn't. I was completely frozen, completely disoriented. I pinched my hand once again – didn't know why though, the dream was of course the other one.

But this seemed so surreal… Had I just dreamt that I kissed my best friend?! My Edward?! Oh My God… that was twisted! We were so attached to each other. How could I?

My bottom lip was almost bleeding of how much pression I was applying to it. But I couldn't stop, I was too nervous, I was going totally whacko. My masochistic brain would keep showing me again and again the time where his lips touched mine. And not just that… but the feeling. That strange feeling that overcame my asleep system when this happened.

Okay maybe the butter was off. Yes that could be a good explanation. The butter had expired and I didn't notice so I hallucinated last night. Obviously it was that.

"Dad?" I shouted with still a too desperate voice.

"Yes, Bella?" He said back – his voice seemed stronger.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Umm, yes…" Charlie answered a bit lost.

"Didn't you have any problems on sleeping last night?"

"Umm, not really. As always… why, Bell? What did you dream?" Oh my God! Had he just realized it?!

"Nothing! Why did you assume I dreamt something bad? I'm just asking!" I almost chocked.

"Well, I didn't assume anything you told me you had a nightmare…"

"Oh, yeah… sorry about that." I shouted back as sheepishly as possible. "Have fun, don't be cruel with the fishes!" He was going fishing as almost every Sunday morning.

I heard him laugh. "Thanks, and I won't Bell. Say hi to Edward for me today. Okay?" He shouted as he closed the door.

And I just answered. "Blah, blah, blah." Edward, Edward, Edward! Is somebody kidding me, here?!

Jeez, I was seriously going loca. Please Bella; stop before Charlie finds it better to lock you in a madhouse! Well, better than _this_ craziness…

I needed to talk to somebody, somebody that would always understand me, that would never judge me… that would say exactly the truth – not what I wanted to listen. But there it hit me, how could I if it was _Edward_ the one that had all those qualities?

Edward had always been my person. The one I'd go if I needed something no matter how crazy it was. Once I actually asked him to please come with me to a chicken manifestation for stopping the kill of chickens to eat. Yep, I had that stage in my teenage years, and so he went with me… dressed like a chicken! We even had a song I made him sang with that spectacular voice of his. And he just did it. All for me and with a sweet smile the whole time.

But the thing was… that I'd never had to talk about him. Not something that implicated _him_ in this way, anyway. So here I was, totally surprised and with no one to talk that would understand me like my best friend would.

I staid whining in my bed for like an hour. Just with my arms crossed around my chest and trying to think of white. Yes, that was the second thing that would always calm me down after Edward's smell. I couldn't have Edward's smell now, so I needed my plan B.  
Thinking about white was like thinking about nothing… and now I sure wanted to think about nothing because if not I'd just think about something, and that SOMETHING would be Edward's lips. And Oh My God, I'm going totally crazy again.

Yep. I would just think and think about that again and again. And so I couldn't stand it any more and decided that the best would be to stand up from bed and just deal with it! Well… maybe not dealing with it, but standing up from bed was something.

The warm water over my confused body felt nice. Relaxing. I just let it flow as if it would wash away any disturbing thought of it. I stayed there longer than necessary, just enjoying the warm water and letting my body feel better.

But my mind didn't. I was disconcerted with myself, I felt weird. This had never happened to me, why would I dream this now? When I'd just found someone I actually liked to spend time with… when I'd just opened myself again after Jacob's incident. And even if Jacob was here… why Edward and not Jacob?

After eating the always nice cereals I had made up my mind. I seriously needed to talk to someone that would understand this as Edward. So I found the person that he was more alike but in feminine… in other words, our little pixie Alice.

Without thinking it twice I took the keys of my old truck with adrenaline and rushed to the Cullens. It wasn't as if I were masochistic, I new Edward wasn't at home now. He'd swimming practice at the early mornings. So I could talk with Alice and with no awkwardness. I really didn't want to see Edward face before having a good explanation of this craziness.

And so I had exactly two hours before he came home again. I needed to have my problem fixed in 1:59. Oh God, how I hated time!

My truck was speeding to its max through the streets that would lead me to the Cullen's. The poor thing was roaring all the way of how hard I was pressing the gas pedal, but it was just too old and I needed _speed_ right now. Though I put 'Claire de lune' in the stereo – the one that Emmett, Carlisle and Esme had bought me for my previous birthday –no matter how many times I'd say I hated presents -, it wasn't calming me even a bit. I was with every minute passing by even more nervous, more anxious. Something was forming down in my stomach and I couldn't identify well what it was.

I stopped abruptly in the Cullen's house and got out of the car with a jump that almost left me on the floor. I cursed a bit under my breathe and after apologizing to my old truck for what I made to it, I almost ran to the Cullen's door and rang the bell.

Just there it hit that I hadn't said anything that I was coming. "Oh Bella, hello, I didn't expect you here now, what a nice surprise! How are you sweetie?" Esme sweet voice greeted me. Her hug comforted me a bit… She'd been like a mother after I came here. She'd always made me feel so comfortable, so loved. I'd never find the words to thank her for that… and her family.

"I know, Esme. I'm sorry… it was unexpected." I smiled still too anxious.

She scrutinized my face with a worried look. "Is everything alright, dear?" She questioned as she leaded me to inside.

Everything… just that I dreamt I made out with your son. But apart from that… everything is just awesome. "Yes, summer anxious." I tried to sound as convincible as possible and made the best to stop shaking my legs.

"Alright," She said a bit suspicious. "But Edward isn't here sweetie, he still hasn't arrived." Thank God for that!

"I know, I was actually looking for Alice." I grinned another-so-convincible smile at her.

"Oh, she is in her room. I won't delay you anymore; I can see that summer anxious flying through your veins!" She laughed and with that she entered to the kitchen. Esme was another one that was always so enthusiastic. And the one that had always let Alice do her things in her own way. She wasn't like Edward or Carlisle or even like Emmett… she was more like me in that aspect, she knew Alice was capable of amazing things no matter her condition, she'd always believed in her. And that was just… touching.

"Alice," I said as I knocked lightly on the white door of her bedroom. "Can I come in? It's Bella."

"Come in!" She cheered. "I knew it was you, I knew you were coming, don't know why though." She grinned as she combed her hair with a violet comb.

"Still with that psychic thing?" I sighed as I sat on her violet bed and stared to the place. This room was so amazing, a bit violet for my taste… but so Alice. Lovely.

She nodded and came to my side. "Still with that… I know I have a gift." She faked an important voice and laughed. But she truly had something special- that was for sure.

"So… what brings you here, my messy friend?"

I sighed and the heartbeats that were an instant ago calmer suddenly started going faster and faster. "I need to talk to you."

She arched an eyebrow and stared at me with puzzled eyes. "Alright… what do you need to talk about?"

I sighed again, as if that would dissipate the nervousness. "Please just--- just don't judge me or what I'm going to tell you, it's probably that the butter was off so I just hallucinated---"

"Wa-wait, Bella? The what? What does the butter have to do with this?" Alice questioned as she looked at me with a 'you-are-crazy' look. Jeez, I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Alright," I breathed. "Forget the butter. That's just a theory here, I'm not gonna tarnished the butter's name." I laughed. Alice frowned.

Edward would have sure laughed with that! Alice so didn't understand my mood. Psst.

"Okay, coming to the topic…" I mumbled.

"Yes, please." She sighed widening her eyes.

"So yesterday Jacob came to my house and well---"

"Yes, yes. Edward told him that he was your boyfriend. He told me that, proceed." She said with a serious tone and serious features. I just had to bit my tongue not to laugh; Alice did let herself in in the psychologist paper.

"Okay," I breathed deeply. "So then I fell asleep and I just dreamt I was in a boat in Jasper's boat, and then it was someone there too and I thought it was Jasper, I mean it had to be Jasper it was Jasper's boat. Right? It had to be him, I mean maybe it was him, just looking a bit different like not so like he looks usually but like different, but again how can I know how he usually looks if I don't usually see him it has just been one time that we went out and I mean it is summ---"

"Bella!" Alice cut me off, shaking my shoulders with her little hands. "Stop mumbling, please!" Thanks Alice, I was totally losing it!

"Sorry, you are right." I breathed again, a bit down.

"Now, just talk to me. Alright? I won't judge you or your situation; just tell me about it so I can help you…" She said with a soft voice. How grown up she was, really mature. It just gave me goose bumps.

I nodded. "You are right, thank you."

She grinned. "So, you were on the boat, on Jasper's boat but there was no Jasper there, right?"

"Right."

She waited a bit for me to continue but I just couldn't. I kept staring at her with lost eyes. "Right…" She said as she nodded with the same 'you-are-crazy' look. "So, it wasn't Jasper there, so who was it?"

The answer came seconds later. "Edward."

"Edward, like _my_ brother, Edward?"

"No, like the baker Edward. Of course your brother, Alice! How many Edwards do I know?" I rolled my eyes at her evident question. The truth was, I was dying for him to be the baker Edward and not her brother. It would be so much easier… Well, if only there was a baker Edward here. If only there was a baker! Well, I was sure there was one in some supermar---

"Bella, can you focus in here, please?" Alice waving her tiny hand in the air cut my trailed of thought and brought me back to this weird reality.

"Sorry, I'm a bit in another planet today…"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I can see _that_. So, please, Bella! It's been like half an hour since you started with the story can you just finish it?"

Shoot! I had just a bit more of an hour to finish and listen to the answer and solve everything?!

I breathed deeply. "The thing is I was in this boat and there was your brother in there too… and then he… he just… he kind of… " God, Bella! Just woman up! "Well he told me I love you and I said I love you too, and then he KISSED ME!" I was breathing hard. It was just too much.

"Wow." Alice exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Tell me about it…" I mumbled and let myself splash to the bed. Too stressed.

"But _why_?" Alice said coming to my side. "Why did you dream that, Bella?"

"I don't know… " My voice came out as a weak whisper. "I truly don't know, I was hoping you could help me on this one." I shrugged.

She sighed with frustration. "I don't think you kind of---"

"No, no!" I shouted. I just couldn't let her finish. "Of course not, it was a weird thing; I never dreamt that, I don't know…" I was almost at the edge of the heart attack again. It was too confusing and I just needed my best friend!

"Look, Bella. It was just a dream, nothing else. You were obviously upset about the Jacob thing and as Edward told him he was your boyfriend you dreamt that he actually was your boyfriend. And besides… he's always there for you and well maybe when Jacob came – someone that has hurt you so much – and tried to hurt you again, having Edward helping you… that just made you dream that. Don't worry, it was just a dream!"

I breathed deeply trying to let her words sank in and calmed me down. "Yes, you are probably right. It's that." I said some minutes later, when I was much calmer.

Only one question stayed in my system. Why Edward was Jasper? And why did I feel what I felt? No way was I going to answer this now or any time soon. I just made it to a side; it was too stressing and surely something without importance.

There was one mre thing. "Please, just don't tell him anything, it would be too awkward." I almost pleaded to her.

"Of course! Imagine!" She grinned and brushed my hair in a sweet way. "I seriously can't believe you kissed Edward!" She laughed. And I had to laugh too, it was insane.

A loud guffaw made both of us jump with surprise. A too playful, too annoying, too deep guffaw.

"No way, Bella!" Emmett said between guffaws as he came inside the room.

And I just wanted to die. Seriously, die… Caput, hasta la vista! I was sure all the color of my skin was suddenly off me. Didn't know where, but not in me anymore. And my friend the heart attack almost invaded my system again. I couldn't move… I was like a frozen statue staring at that giant figure standing next to the door and laughing the hell out of him.

"YOU KISSED MY BROTHER?" He almost choked, still laughing. I was going to deny it - my mouth already opened, but…

"Who kissed your brother?" I heard a just too familiar – too velvet voice asking from behind Emmett with a frown. Oh, boy.


	18. Chapter 17

_**A/N**__**: Sorry for the long wait! Here is chapter 17. Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK! I really to read comments people telling me what they think about the story! ENJOY.**_

**Chapter 17**

My heart stopped abruptly. And I was sure my mouth was hanging open. But every single cell of my body was totally immobilized. My elbows were at each side of my lay down body trying to support me in Alice's violet bed. The only command my body seemed to receive would be the one of breathing because even my heart was doing whatever it wanted. I was at one tiny step from the heart attack. So young! Bye-bye cruel world, behave well!

"Who kissed your brother?" Edward asked again as his eyes scanned Alice's room. After going from side to side from some times and changing his expression, he suddenly noticed it was me the odd thing in there. "Bella?" He frowned.

And again I couldn't talk. I just stared at him with horror in my face.

"Who kissed your brother, Emmett?" He asked more impatiently and posed his eyes on me one more time. "And what are you doing here, Bell?" He seemed to be going as crazy as I was.

Emmett was still laughing but now he was trying to stop – so, I think, he would be able to talk and burry me alive with what he would say. Alice was staring at each one of us with a desperate face but she seemed with every second passing by more focused on what to do. God, if I didn't have her here what would I do?

"Alright," Edward said annoyed when everyone seemed to be avoiding him. "Could _one_ of you at least talk?"

Alice came to save the day then. "Bella came home because she wanted to have a girls' talk."

"Oh," Edward frowned again, entering to the room and sitting at my feet in the bed. "Why would you want to have a girls' talk? What do you need to talk that you can talk with me? I mean you had your period like a thousand years ago…" Even though I was almost dying I could still glare at him. He breathed deeply and then with a fast movement he placed my legs over his lap. Could he make this a little more awkward already? "And Emmett, could you please tell me what was that of someone kissing your brother? That I assume it's me because I'm your only brother here---"

Edward was going to continue with the babbling when Emmett cut him off. Oh my God, please don't do it Emmett, please don't! "I said that because I heard Be----"

"Oh! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants! Absorbent and yellow and porous is he! SpongeBob SquarePants!" Yep, that was Alice. Alice singing SpongeBob SquarePants' theme song. Don't know what flew through her head in the moment of choosing the song, but she did it just in time. Because now Emmett and Edward were staring at her in immense disbelief. And luckily Emmett had his mouth shut. For now.

"Alright, Alice, it's okay. You can tell us if you don't feel well, we'll help you, alright sweety?" Edward teased as he gave me a she-has-lost-her-mind look. But this time I couldn't even smile back. I really didn't want Edward to know what I'd dreamt. Why ruining this friendship with awkward situations? He wouldn't feel comfortable with me if he knew I could be dreaming whatever God knows of him! His eyes were puzzled for some seconds as he tried to scrutinize my statue expression.

"Ha ha," She said and looked at Emmett. I could see her glaring at him with desperate eyes as if he would catch the hint of SHUTTING UP! But, Emmett? Seriously, _Emmett_ catching a hint? Not in this world possible.

Emmett sighed. "Well, as I was saying Edward, that's something you would have to answer. I mean, how come you don't know? Didn't you kiss B--- OUCH!" And yes that super Alice coming one more time to save the day, and guess what she did? She trod on Emmett's left foot with her wheelchair. Oh my, that Alice! But way to go, girl!

Emmett was staring at Alice with childish eyes as he was pouted. I could see Edward thinking his siblings had suddenly gone out of their minds, I could see him planning his visits to the madhouse already. He was rubbing his head, trying to understand this lunatic situation. And I was still without being able to talk.

"Why did you do that, Alice?!" Emmett complained with that same childish face on him.

Alice stared deeply into her older brother's eyes. "Emmett," she muttered. "I need to go to your room, there is something there I need."

"Umm, go?" He said as if it was obvious.

Alice sighed heavily. "With you, Emmett." She muttered under her breathe again, her tone gaining annoyance by the end. "I need that _book_ you have on your _shelf_ that I want to read…" She was making that same face to see if he could finally catch it.

Emmett stared at her blankly. "Book? I don't have books!"

Jeez Emmett, come on! I know you can do this! "Well, it's not a book- book! It's kind of a magazine, a sport magazine! Yes, that! You have some of those there in somewhere, don't you?" She was almost shouting by now. It was hilarious to see, if I wouldn't be so at the edge of my heart attack I would so have laughed.

His eyes were lost for a second as he thought. "I think I have one of those somewhere… yeah. But I don't think you'd like that, you are too girly."  
Alice almost growl, fed up. "Emmett, just--- go to the damn room with me!" Wow, our little pixie did have her temper. Emmett's eyes widened at her words, but he only shrugged at Edward with a defeated look and walked out of the room – with Alice literally on his heels. THANK YOU, ALICE!

"So," Edward breathed when the quietness found this crazy room again. "What is this all about? And why are you as pale as a vampire?" He frowned again, as he scrutinized my dead face.

The words were buried so deep down my body that I couldn't find them no matter how much I was looking for them. It was actually frustrating, only staring at his eyes in blank without anything to say.

"Bella?" He shouted as he waved a hand in front of me. "Are you somewhere in there, Bell?"

I nodded some times. At least I still could do that.

"Alright," He widened his eyes. "If you don't talk now, I'm calling the police." He teased with in an old woman voice.

And there I burst out. And hey! The words came again! "Why would you call the police? What am I a mute murderer now?"

He grinned at me and then gave me one of his 'so-mysterious' looks. "You never know. And I'm glad you are not dead, I was starting to worry that you'd be Bella's ghost."

I stack my tongue at him and stayed quiet. His hands were rubbing the fabric of my jeans in an unconscious way. His eyes lost in some thought of his complex mind. "What did Emmett mean with 'you kiss my brother' thing?" He asked almost in a whisper and stared at my eyes.

And my heart jumped with such intensity that I thought it was finally the last beat. Oh, it was teasing me like hell lately! I made my best to compose my creepy face but I don't know if I actually did it any better.

"Umm, what?" I almost choked. Yep, genius Bella! That was the only thing that came to my mind. And yes, I was going to deny it.

He frowned. "What, what?"

"What?" I said again. God, I must have looked like a total whacko here.

He stared at me with puzzled eyes. "Did you hear to what I said?"

"What did you say?"

Edward rolled his eyes at my side. "You know, you really should go and see a specialist, you are not hearing that well lately." He chuckled at the end, making his pattern on my jeans stronger.

"Yes, maybe I should. I really don't like going to the doctor and all, because you already know I don't like blood… It's like this ugly red thing with a mixture of metal and salty taste, and it's---"

"Bella," Edward stared directly into my eyes. "I do know how you feel about blood, I could seriously write a book about it." He rolled his eyes. I could feel I was annoying him, but anything would be better than talking about that impossible dream of mine.

Alright, maybe I could really forget about it. Like it never happened. Yes forget the dream. Dream forgotten... _Dream_? What dream?

Yes, as if it was that easy! "Right, just checking." I muttered under by breathe.

He chuckled again. "So, I repeat it for you. Please listen this time; it's not that difficult… WHY DID MY BROTHER, EMMETT, SAY 'YOU KISSED MY BROTHER'?" He modulated every word slowly, as if he was talking to a five-year-old. I was sure behaving like one!

"Did Emmett say that? Really?" I made my best to look completely clueless. But Bell + acting skills = not something so nice.

He frowned again. "Yes Bell, you were here. What was he talking about?"

"I really don't know what you are saying, Edward. Seriously, are you sure you are not the one with the hearing problems?" Way to go. I was really astonished of the progress of my acting skills. And the 'breathing-in-breathing-out' therapy was helping a lot.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm sure… but don't worry, I'll ask him later." OVER MY DEAD BODY – that unluckily it wouldn't be so hard, my friend the heart attack was threatening to give myself to the dark side in mere seconds. "So… A girls' talk, huh? What did you need to talk about?"

I almost choked again. "It's a girls' talk, Edward. The last time I checked you were still a guy."

"The last time you checked?" He arched an eyebrow playfully and chuckled.

Red overcame my face. "Oh, come on Edward! It's a saying!" I complained as I punched his arm.

"Alright, but… anyway, why would you need to talk to Alice and not to me? I feel jealous." He said, pouting as a little boy.

"Oh, Edwin baby feels jealous here?" I played, stroking his hair in a mother-like way. But I had to stop the action abruptly because my super brain just recreated that same scene strongly in my head, so strong – that I thought my heart would crash my chest.

A laughing Edward turned suddenly to a puzzled Edward. "What's wrong?"

I gulped and took my legs from his lap with a tough movement – I didn't know why, it was a total involuntary movement. "Umm, my legs were numbed."

"Your hand too?" He asked, frowning once again.

"Yep. My body is sleepy." I nodded and laughed trying to light up the situation.

He sighed and stared to the front again. "Whenever you want to tell me what happens, I'm here." He whispered. And I suddenly felt bad for hiding this from him… but how could I say anything? I really hadn't deciphered it myself yet! And what would I say, 'hey, you know, it's funny… last night I dreamt I kissed you and now I can't get it off my head?!' Yes, that would be just awesome.

"Sure. So how was your training?" I needed to change the topic and besides I did want to know about that.

He shrugged. "Like always, I guess… but I was just a little bit distracted."

"Distracted? Why?"

"Men problems…" He grinned mischievously.

"Nice one," I muttered back and crossed my arms over my chest.

We stayed quite for some minutes then. Minutes that seemed of an eternity. He insisted on taking my legs to his lap one more time, and I let it… defeated. Besides his touch had always calmed me down, always made me feel safe.

He suddenly stared at me with a look I couldn't interpret well. "I've been thinking… and maybe I know what's this girls' talk about…"

Oh boy. My heart beat with violence again, my hands started to sweat. This was impossible! How did he find out?! "You do?" I almost choked.

"Yes, I think I do." He said really serious, his voice wasn't anything nice. "And I really don't like it…"

Ouch. I know I wasn't Miss. U.S.A., but I wasn't that horrible either. "Yeah, well, sorry about that." I slapped at him. "But I guess it's none of your business… is something mine in the end, isn't it?" I didn't know why, but I was somehow getting angry.

His eyes widened and I thought I could see pain on them for a fraction of a second before he composed again.

"I know it's not, and it's only yours… just be careful, you know? You never know…" He muttered looking to his hands.

You never know WHAT? This was starting to be really frustrating. "Well, I do know actually. And I don't think it will happen more than once!" I was more upset with every second passing by. And I could see his expression changing too.

He laughed a bit bitterly. "Trust me, if it happens once… it happens more than once, many, many more times than just one."

Okay, now I was angry. What did he think he was?! As if I hadn't anything better to do than dreaming that I kissed him! "Well, it's _really_ not gonna happen. Trust me." I muttered. Taking my legs from his lap with one single movement.

He stared at me with disbelief. "I just thought that you didn't want this… I thought you were different." He was somehow hurt.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, EDWARD?" I was truly upset now. What was he treating me of? What did he think I wanted? And even if I wanted anything, I thought him more of a gentleman… now I understood why Jacob and Jasper said he wasn't.

"I mean that--- you are different Bell. Different from anyone I've ever known. And now, with this… you are just like the others, you know? Just… I don't know, why? I mean, you seriously want this?" His voice was huskier by now, and the pain on his eyes more evident.

But this was hurting me too. I never thought I would be just as everyone after dreaming this, I mean, I felt the same… And I knew I was the only one immune to Edward's charm but I couldn't do anything here, it wasn't me wanting this! I didn't even know if I want this, I just dreamt it for God's sake!

"Edward, I thought you would understand… we are friends, aren't we?" I breathed.

"Of course we are, and it is your choice. I just thought you thought different of this; I thought you never wanted to have sex, that's what you said the other night---"

"Wa-wa-wait! What? Have _sex_? Who ever talked about having sex? It was just a dream!" I shrieked almost at the edge of the heart attack again. Was he kidding me?

His eyes widened. "You dreamt you had sex with Jasper?"

Okay, now I was seriously lost. "What? _Jasper_?"

"Yes, Jasper Hale… remember him? The one you are going to go on a date tonight? In his house?" He asked with one of his 'are-you-kidding-me' looks on his face.

I rolled my eyes at him. "What were you talking about, exactly?"

He stared at me as if it was too obvious. "I was talking about Jasper and you… tonight you are going to his house and I was just thinking that I don't think his parents will be there. And that, well… he's going to cook for you, and you are going to be alone with him in _his_ house…" He widened his eyes, as if I would catch the implicit words.

I frowned at him. "You think I'm going to have sex with Jasper? I didn't even kiss him!"

"You just told me you will!" He almost shouted - his hands anxious at his sides.

"No! Of course not, Edward! I was talking about the dream!" I shouted back, too hysteric to just talk – _and_ think.

"_What_ dream?" His eyes were truly puzzled. And there it hit me. So he had been talking about Jasper this whole time – he thought I would have sex with Jasper? He'd never known about the dream?

There only one thing to say. And I'd blushed before even saying it. "The one I had with Jasper," I muttered, unable to speak loudly.

I felt him tense at my feet somehow. "So you did dream you had sex with him?"

I gulped. "Well, not exactly… I mean--- I'm not telling you my dream, Edward! It's private!" I finished. No way was I going to talk about something like that – something I hadn't even dreamt in firs place!

He sighed in relief – and I did the same. "So you are not thinking of having sex with him?" The question came almost in a whisper – as if he knew he couldn't really ask it.

I shook my head, slowly. "No, Edward. I told you I'd never have sex… I told you I would only make love. And I _so_ don't think I'm in love with Jasper. I'm barely getting to know him!" I felt more relieved by now. I know I hadn't tell him about the dream, but something made me feel better – as if I had the need to clear up that I would never do it with Jasper. I didn't think it possible really. I just wanted to spend a good time, to feel good.

He suddenly chuckled, his eyes playful. "So you came here to talk about Alice about that dream?"

I blushed again and laughed. "I guess I did…"

"Yeah, because she has so much experience." He chuckled one more time. And then placed my legs on his lap again. But I let him this time. I know I hadn't told him of the dream, but it felt as if he understood me anyway… I felt relieved with him by my side.

"Bell?" He said after some more minutes of quietness.

"Yes?"

He breathed deeply. "Would you do me a favor?"

"I'll try…" I shrugged.

"Would you promise me you would be careful anyway, please?" There was that pain in his voice again.

And I knew exactly what was he talking about. "Of course I will. Don't worry." I couldn't not smile, I truly felt safe around him. He'd always take care of me; never let anybody hurt me… even myself. I was truly thankful about that.

"I suggest you eat a pizza, before." He stared at me with playful eyes.

"Before?"

"Before you see Jasper, I seriously don't think he can cook that well." He laughed and began his absentminded patter over my legs again.

I stack my tongue at him. "You'd be surprise."

"Yeah, whatever." He sighed and stood up from the bed with an energetic movement.

He went to the stereo and put some rock from the '80s.

"Hey, Edwin?" I shouted through the music.

"Yeah?"

"It's nice you think I'm different." I grinned, unable to leave the comment to myself.

"Yeah, Bell. It's okay being crazy, don't worry… problems can fix." He chuckled and gave me a teasing look.

"Ha ha," I mocked.

"Hey, let's go find Emmett! I seriously want to know about that 'you kiss my brother' thing." He said as he stormed through Alice's door.

And he wouldn't just leave it alone, wouldn't he? I so hope Alice had convinced Emmett not to say anything… but _how_? Would have she promised him a huge teddy bear?


	19. Chapter 18 Part 1

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 18-part 1. Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK! No one ever comments on here! Haha. Anyway…ENJOY.**_

**Chapter 18 – Part 1**

I almost stumbled with Edward's feet when we were reaching Emmett's room. And I was the whole time praying that Alice could convince Emmett.

Edward rolled his eyes as he looked at me and then entered Emmett's room with a tough movement. Emmett was sitting in his bed and Alice was in front of him – it seemed as if she was talking really slow and he was repeating something.

Edward looked at them with that same 'my-siblings-had-gone-crazy' look and waited quietly with his arm cross over his chest for them to realize we were here.

Alice suddenly looked at us with a surprise face and took some magazine from Emmett's nigh table.

"Oh, here it is!" She said faking excitement. "The magazine I've been looking for so long, thank you Emmett!"

Edward slowly came to her side and took the magazine – his eyes skeptical.

"Alice," he breathed. "Since when do you want to do motocross?"

Alice face turned suddenly worry. "Umm, I---"

And then I went to save the day. "Please, Edward. You really don't need to want to do something to look at it; maybe she's just curious…" I tried to convince him as I stood in Alice's side.

"Right." Edward said, still too suspicious. "Now, Emmett, would you explain me the 'You kiss my brother' thing?"

Emmett looked like five-year-old boy as he stared at us with frighten eyes. The huge and ogre Emmett suddenly felt so young and childish. And I had to bit my tongue not to laugh, because it was a really sweet scenario – leaving on a side the fact that I could be only minutes away from death.

"What thing?" Emmett asked, arching an eyebrow. Alright, so this was the strategy of the day apparently!

Edward sighed and placed a hand on his big brother's shoulder. "Emmett, you said something about someone kissing your brother when I entered to Alice's room. Don't you remember that?" He almost muttered by the end, I could see him gaining annoyance.

"Oh, that!" Emmett said as if it was obvious. Edward nodded impatiently at his front.

And my legs shook again with violence, my heart too. Alice squeezed my hand and made a gesture as if everything was alright. And Emmett kept staring to my face and then to his brother's, then to mine again and then to his brother's – each second more scared.

And then he finally sighed. "It's a documentary." Oh, great Emmett! Just great.

Edward stared at him in disbelief, his eyes almost angry now. "A documentary, Emmett?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Emmett said securer.

"And since when do you watch documentaries?" Edward skeptical voice sounded again, his arms finding his chest one more time.

Emmett seemed to want to laugh – his eyes dark. But luckily he composed again. "Since I want to, Eddie. What, can't I watch documentaries? Aren't I smart enough?" Emmett voice came stronger in the end – and it seemed as if nothing was so funny anymore.

"Of course you are, Emmett. I just thought you didn't like them that much… that's all." Edward gave me an 'oops' look and stared back at his brother. "So, what was it about?"

"Wh-wh-what was what?" Emmett almost choked. Oh, boy so he had only planned that it was a documentary title? Way to go, Emmett!

Edward stared at me again with disbelief. "Is everyone with the hearing problem today?" I shrugged back and breathed deeply to stay calm.

"I asked you what it is about."

"Well," Emmett said after thinking for a second. "It's about this girl that has a best friend and suddenly, one strange night after eating butter, she dreams------"

"ALRIGHT, EMMETT!" I shouted cutting him off. Everyone gave a little jump in response. "So, I don't think we should tell this whole documentary to Edward, you know? I mean maybe he wants to see it himself…. We can't tell him the end!" I was mumbling and stumbling with my own words as I wanted to take everything out. Giving no space for Emmett to open his big mouth again.

"So you know this documentary too?" Edward asked me, frowning again.

I'm so intelligent sometimes. "Yes," I nodded, widening my eyes. "Yeah, like one of the best ones I've ever seen, really…"

"Really?" He asked, lost in some thought. "Huh, it's weird I've never heard about it until now…"

"Weird." I nodded again, widening my eyes a bit more.

"So can we see it some time?" Ouch.

"Hmm?" The choking state came again.

"If we can see it some time." He said, his voice annoyed again.

"S-sure, _some_ time…" I said waving my hand forward as if it would mean in a distant future.

"Can we stop with this babbling and go enjoy this sunny day outside?" Alice luckily suggested, her arms going up and down at her side.

The four of us grinned -we were sure sick of this dream aka documentary subject. Just from our looks we could identify what the other wanted and I could tell it was the same.

"Lake?" We all said at the same time and then nodded excitedly.

And there I remembered. "Umm, guys… I really don't have a bathing suit." I pouted.

Edward chuckled back. "I could lend you one of mines."

Alice punched his arm at the same time she stared at me in disbelief. "Bella, who am I?" Her voice was petulant.

"Umm, Alice Cullen?"

She rolled her eyes and came to my side. "How did the rhyme continue?"

"Oh," I faked enthusiasm as I put one hand on my forehead. "Alice Cullen the queen of fashion!" I sang, mimicking with my hands. Edward and Emmett laughed in their spots.

"Exactly, Bella. Don't you ever forget that. I'll be waiting you in my room. Please don't delay." She said using that annoying petulant voice one more time and stormed through the door.

I suddenly turned to see both E brothers with a desperate look. "I'm really scared."

The chuckled again and Edward added. "Promise that if you don't come out in twenty minutes I'll go rescue you."

"Make that 30! And Bella I'm waiting here! Tick – tock, tick – tock!" Alice shouted through the wall of her room. Wow, she was actually a little scary thing.

They both reassured me as I passed through them and went to meet my sentence.

"ALICE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I choked as I scrutinized myself in the mirror of Alice's violet room. "I so won't go out with this tiny thing!"

Alice came to my side and stared at me with awe. "I'm a genius… And please Bella; don't be ridiculous you have an awesome butt go show it to the world, please!"

I blushed just to see me myself in the mirror, I couldn't imagine how would I feel if anyone else would see me with this tiny bikini on me. It was blue and little!

"Alice, I'm really not sure—"

"Just finish changing yourself and let's go! I'll go change." She shouted as she slammed her bathroom's door.

"You need help?" I muttered. I really did want to keep my promise at treating Alice for what she was capable of. But sometimes this sisterhood gene would just jump.

"You too, Bella?" She shouted back a bit annoyed. "Weren't you one of the 'Alice can do anything' team members?"

I sighed. "I am! Sorry, the sister's gene would sometimes jump." I answered, speaking my mind.

"Eww! You realize that if you were my sister you'd have just had a weird dream with your brother?!"

My eyes widened. That was twisted. "Luckily you are not." I choked and finished with the outfit he'd chosen for me.


	20. Chapter 18 Part 2

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 18-part 2- Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK! And Enjoy ;)**_

**Chapter 18 – part 2**

The lake seemed a bit crowded when we arrived. The sun up in the sky – making its presence notorious by the heat it was irradiating. Emmett pulled over his jeep – he almost cried to let us bring – and within some minutes we found our spot near the lake.

The short white skirt Alice had chosen for me was making difficult my comfort but I had to admit it went pretty well with the stone blue top. What I was afraid – and seriously afraid was to take off this outfit and show the real one. The tiny, super tiny blue bikini Alice had thought would be the best one for me. Thank you, Alice!

Edward and Emmett helped Alice and she was sighing all the time. But well, I couldn't do anything here… No way was Edward _not_ going to help her. There were some girls far away, but I couldn't identify who they were by my spot.

Emmett and Edward started taking their shirt off and Alice – with NO help – her skirt and top. Yep, the only one left was me.

But I couldn't do it, I felt too self conscious. And for the excess of heat in my face – that I was sure the sun couldn't provoke it, I knew I was blushing like hell.

I was sitting in the sand and Edward had his back to me – standing. and unconsciously I couldn't stop myself and peeped once at his well formed back. Almost a Michelangelo's type of back. I took my eyes fast enough before he turned around and stared back at me. His eyes skeptical.

"Umm, Bell? Why are you still with your clothes on?" His eyebrows were arched.

Why did he have to point that out?! "I'm a bit cold…" I lied, wrapping my shoulders with my hands.

The three of them laughed. "Yeah, I can see the 'cold-sweat'!" Emmett amused, a loud guffaw invading the quietness. I glared at him with dark eyes in response.

"Oh, please, Bella! Just stop with that 'I'm-so-embarrassed' thing! You know your body rocks and besides, Edward and Emmett know you since you are seven!" Alice almost shouted, obviously pissed off for my no appreciative attitude towards her work.

Their eyes turned to meet me. And I gulped heavily. She was probably right… no need of this self conscious thing, we were friends!

Their looks were too concentrated. "Alright, could you at least not stare?" I fumed.

They both chuckled in response and turned around. "Come on, porn star! We _really_ don't want to make you blush."Emmett laughed. Edward's fist found Emmett's arm as he punched him. Aw, thank you Eddie!

First the skirt, then the top and then… voilà! Jeez, this blue thing was really minute. Alice grinned mischievously as she stared at me, her eyes proud.

"Oh, I really am a genius." She sang, clapping her hands with impatience.

"Can we turn around?" Edward asked, hitting the sand with his foot.

"Sure," I murmured. And with that the red color found my face one more time.

"Whoa, Bella! You are not seven anymore, aren't you?" Emmett almost shouted as he scrutinized my body. He made my blush of the day as he finished with a wolf sound escaping his thorax.

"Jerk," I muttered defeated and landed in the sand.

I could feel Edward's eyes staring at my face –but it was like some kind of invisible force was making him look to other parts of me – and he was making the impossible to fight back.

He walked silently to my spot and sat beside me, his elbows in the sand to support himself. Alright, I so wasn't expecting any comment by him. But it wasn't like I ALWAYS wore this kind of outfits! Wasn't he even a bit shocked? Not that I cared, anyway.

Alice sighed and fumed at Edward. "Aren't you going to say... _anything_?"

"Sorry?" He breathed.

Alice's eyes were pointing him, me. "I don't know… like about the girl you have on your side, maybe?"

Edward's eyes were in the front. Not looking at me even by mistake. "Oh, yeah." He shrugged and kept staring to an invisible spot in his front. And just there something felt odd… I felt something inside I couldn't really interpret, but it wasn't a nice feeling at all.

"Jeez, thanks." I muttered without thinking. It just came off my system before I could shut it.

Edward's eyes suddenly met mine. "What?"

"Nothing," I muttered back and lay down in the sand.

"Oh, I can see Tanya from here! She's just some meters away. I'll go there, okay?" Alice said excited. Tanya was one of her best friends, and she was pretty nice. The best thing was that she'd never cared about Alice being in a wheelchair, and that was awesome.

"No, I'll go with you." Edward was on his feet at that second, overprotecting her one more time.

"Hey, I'll go…" Emmet suggested, his voice playful. "I think I see Rosalie Hale from here too. Yummy!" He let out another loud guffaw and started walking beside Alice. Rosalie Hale, the sister of someone I'd go on a date tonight, was one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen. For not to say the prettiest one – I really didn't know that many people.

And Emmett had always had a crush on her. But she had been all the time too busy on herself to really like somebody else. But Emmett, oh Emmett would never surrender.

Edward sighed and splashed to the sand one more time. I closed my eyes, filling myself with the nice heat of the sun.

The sand felt so comfortable… I knew some people didn't like the feeling of the sand all over their bodies, but I did. I really liked to feel the sand caressing my skin, and an unconscious smile touched my lips in response of the enjoyment.

Suddenly everything felt too quiet. And reflexively I opened my eyes to see where this muted state was coming from.

Just to wish not to have done that, because the heat on my face increased so much that I thought it would explode. And somehow… my heart started to beat faster, it should be the sun, yeah it was that.

Edward was staring to every inch of my body, his eyes widened, and his mouth a bit more open than usual - the corner of his lips arched in a smile. One hand was messing his own hair up as he scrutinized me from head to foot, with lost eyes. He seemed to be almost hypnotized because I stared back at him as if he would catch the hint, but he would just continue with the 'checking-out-party' with the same weird look on his face. Why was he doing that? He sure was preoccupied because of the way I talked to him before, that was why he stared like that. But… he should have been staring to my face if that was the problem, right?

When I thought I was really going to explode from the blush on my face, I thought it was time to clear my throat and see if that would take him out of the state he was in.

But it wasn't me doing it. "EDWARD!" JessicASS called from behind us. Making us both jump in response to her pig-like shriek. She was wearing a hideous full of sequins bikini, exposing as much of her body as possible.

Edward cleared his throat this time and stared at her with disoriented eyes. "Jessica?" He said - his voice husky.

"Yes, baby. How are you?" Her voice had an edge I couldn't really identify. Would have she seen the previous scene? She bended down with a provocative movement and kissed him strong in the lips. Edward eyes widened for the unexpected action. And my eyes involuntary turned away, meeting everything but them.

Suddenly I felt them stop and Jessica sighing loudly, as if she was annoyed.

"Hello Isabella," She said with the same annoyance in her voice.

"Hi," I muttered. AND IT'S BELLA!

"It's Bella," But it wasn't me who said it.

"Oh, whatever." She glared at her 'boyfriend'. "So, I didn't know you liked to dress like that. Do you think it goes well with… _you_?" She slapped and scrutinized me with disgust on her face. Oh, who did she think she was?!

I was going to say something, but she made me wondered if she was right… God, I hated her, she always made me feel so small!

"Actually, I think she looks really good. Blue suits her perfectly." Edward mumbled, trying to fight with that invisible force one more time. And of course I blushed, and smiled… he was always there for me. Even if he didn't really mean what he said.

She almost ate him with her eyes. She truly looked diabolic for a second. "And what about me, baby. Do you like what I'm wearing?" I could tell she was angry, but she hided it well under her 'sexy' tone.

"Yeah, it's nice." He shrugged and stood up from his spot, leaving her in the sand. Ha, ha.

"Ugh, I hate the sand." She muttered under her breathe and stood up. Her features more annoyed.

"Really?" Edward frowned. "I love it."

And I smiled for my inside.

"Why are you smiling?" Jessica glared at me. Well, I thought it was for my inside!

"I wasn't smiling; I was making a face because I'm hot." I lied and waved my hand in the air.

"Wanna go swim?" My best friend invited me offering me his hand.

I was going to complain, to tell him I didn't swim. But for some reason, I did want to swim today. "I do. Thanks." I smiled at him and took his hand.

JessicASS sighed heavily, she could have totally shouted of the furiousness she was irradiating. And it made me want to… laugh.

"You wanna come?" Edward asked her, frowning.

"Of course I want to go!" She said with an over sweet voice and passed her hands through Edward's chest. That wh*re! "Would you take me to the water?"

Edward grabbed her hands with a light movement. "Umm, sure if you want to…"

"Awesome!" She shrieked and jumped to his chest. Edward grabbed her easily and motioned me to follow. I felt really out of place, but went anyway. Something inside me I didn't understand wanted me to be there.

We climbed a few rocks and then after Jessica requested his mouth one more time, I thought he was jumping to the water with her, but he released her to the water with another light movement.

After the SPLASH! And Jessica's face when she reached the surface again, I was sure she'd thought the same as me. And her devil eyes were there one more time.

"Why didn't you jump?! Aren't you coming to the water?" She shouted, waving her hands.

Edward grinned mischievously. "Yes I am!" And then with a fast movement he grabbed me from waist and made us both flew through the air until the SPLASH! and the water surrounded us.

I was still so shock for the sudden and unexpected action that I forgot to float. The water was already pulling me to its depth when two warm hands catch me and brought me to the sun again.

"'you okay?" Edward face was worried as he scrutinized mine. I coughed some times to let out the water my system gulped. And nodded.

"I'm sorry, I was playing…" He said a bit guilty. His arms still restraining me at my sides.

"Oh, she's fine Edward! But you shouldn't let her in the water she clearly doesn't know how to swim. Why did you jump with her in first place?" That was the witch Jessica talking.

Edward was still facing me as he talked. "She knows how to swim, I've taught her myself… And I jumped with her because is too funny the face she puts when she's falling." He chuckled.

"Ha ha," I said, splashing him some water.

"Oh, I see you are better."

"Yes, she is! Just let her swim herself." Jessica spoke for me and went to grab his back. He was going to say something when I cut him off.

"It's true, I'm okay, I can swim you said it yourse---"

But as I was finishing the sentence two shouts cut me off followed by another SPLASH!

Emmett and goddess Rosalie reached the surface with goofy smiles on their faces. Each one splashing water to the other.

"Oh, hey bro!" Emmett grinned. "I'm here with Rose," He winked at him.

"Really? I didn't see her," Edward chuckled, rolling his eyes. His big brother splashed some water to him in response.

"Rose!" Jessica shrieked, swimming to her side. Yep, they were friends. Close friends. "Emmett, huh?" She giggled on her ear. Rosalie smiled back.

And then her eyes found me. "Hi, Bella." she greeted, smiling sweetly. She really seemed nice. Why would she want to hang out with someone like JessicASS? "So you are coming home tonight, huh?"

BLUSH, BLUSH, BLUSH! "Y-yes, I am." How I wished to drawn here and now! But well, it wouldn't be such a productive thing to do… surely Edward would be rescuing me in that same second.

Rosalie laughed. "Don't worry, we won't be there to torment you. Jasper asked us if we could go eat outside tonight." He did?

I thought to have heard Edward muttering something under his breathe but I couldn't really tell. I was still too embarrassed for being talking with my date's sister.

Emmett was staring at Rosalie as if he was hypnotized, a bright smile decorating his face. Rosalie would kept peeping at him from the corner of her eyes and giggling back. There was surely something there, I could so tell that.

"So, I was wondering," Rosalie said, her tone seductive. "Maybe we could go out the six of us sometimes. Like in a triple date?" She stared at Emmett and smiled.

WHAT DID SHE SAY?!

Emmett mouth turned to a big grin, his eyes shining. "Yeah!" He almost shouted, too excited to just talk.

But in that same time Edward and I both denied it, abruptly. "NO!" Why I did that? I don't know. We stayed staring at each other's faces for some seconds, Jessica's face a poem, when Emmett swam to my side and bended down to reach my ear, to whisper.

"You know I know it wasn't a documentary, right? And I'm really dying to tell…"

I gulped and looked at Rosalie. "I'd love to…" I choked. Emmett grinned. Oh, I SO hated him right now!

"Edward?" He asked.

Edward stared at me with a frown and then sighed. "Sure, why not?" He muttered.

"I ADORE the idea!" Jessica shrieked, giving a kiss to Edward's neck.

"And I know my brother won't have any problem with it, so…" Rosalie grinned. "Tuesday's night?" We all nodded.

"Tuesday's night. It's a date." Emmett smiled brightly and splashed some water to us.

Great. Just, GREAT.


	21. Chapter 19

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 19 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK!!!!! And hope you like it! **_

**Chapter 19**

I was nervous. Seriously nervous. My tongue was already aching for the pressure I was applying to it with my teeth. It was already six o'clock and I was still with my towel on, not dressed, and having another heart attack for the anxiety as I lay on my bed.

I breathed deeply and stared to the ceiling, trying to calm myself down. I didn't know why I was this nervous, I'd already had a date with Jasper… but something felt odd, weird. Something I didn't understand and maybe I didn't want to, either.

It wasn't anything to do with him, it was all in me. I was feeling strange. So I did something that would always calm me down - as I couldn't have Edward's smell with me right now… I at least could have his voice.

The tone sounded twice before someone answered.

"_Hello?"_ A male voice said from the other side of the line.

"Oh, hi Carlisle! It's Bella." I smiled, Carlisle wasn't at home so much; the hospital took most of his time. But I'd always liked Carlisle… he had a compassion I'd never seen in anybody else. And that amazed me.

"_Bella, how are you? Are you missing Edward already?"_ I heard him laugh.

I sighed back. "Yep, am I that pathetic?"

"_No, no. I understand you; my son has something special… I don't quite know what it is, but he has it… he has a good heart."_ Carlisle voice sounded so proud when he talked about his son, that it just made me smile even more.

"He truly does…" I agreed.

"_Well, Bella. I'll go look for him, I think he was having a shower but maybe he is ready. I'll go see, wait a minute. And give my regards to Charlie, please."_

"I will, thanks Carlisle!" And with that I heard the steps sounding up the stairs.

The impatience invaded my body again, and my teeth found one more time my poor tongue. Minutes later someone took the phone from the other side.

"_Hey Bell, what's up?"_ My best friend asked. His voice agitated.

"I'm nervous." I choked, chewing my tongue one more time.

I heard him sigh from the other side of the line. "_Don't be, everything is going to be fine… You are gonna spend a nice time."_ His voice came different towards the end, harder.

"You think?"

His answer delayed longer than necessary. "_I do, just relax…"_ Then he laughed.

"What?" I asked, intrigued. The corner of my lips arching involuntarily as I heard his contagious laugh.

"_Nothing, I was just remembering…"_

"WHAT?!"

"_The first time we saw each other when we were seven, you remember?"_

How couldn't I? A half hearted smile decorated my suddenly seven-year-old face. "Of course I do…"

"_I'll really never forget your nervous face as I lent you my rubber."_ His voice came childish too, as if we were suddenly recreating the scene.

I laughed, remembering myself. "You know I never gave it back to you, don't you? I still have it."

"_I knew it! I knew any mountain lion could have eaten it!_" He sighed deeply.

"I can't believe I told you that, seriously." I shook my head in disbelief.

"_It was funny, at least_." He sighed.

*_FLASHBACK:_

"I DON'T WANT TO GO!" I yelled to my dad as he was pulling me inside this ugly school. My arms were one in each wall of the entrance, making strain so he couldn't achieve it.

"Please, Isabella. Don't make it harder, you have to!" My dad was sad these days… I was too. I missed my mommy so much that I every night would sing a song to her picture and then fall asleep, crying… Thinking about her smell.

"I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to!" I was shouting from the top of my lungs, everyone started staring at me with surprise. I had pretty strong lungs.

"Do you need help, Charlie?" A male voice said behind us. My eyes found him and then three children. One was really short but she seemed to have strength. Something pulled me towards her… Then there was a big boy, he had this funny face, his lips curled in a smile. But there were one pair of eyes that instantly made me stare. He was the one that seemed more normal, his hair a blond – golden color. His eyes emerald green. He was staring back at me, so much, that it gave a hideous color to my cheeks.

My dad answered then. "Oh, hi Carlisle! I don't know what to do, she won't go inside!" My dad said defeated. Ha, I was winning!

"Would you let me talk to her, please?" The man, Carlisle, asked my dad back. His voice had something hypnotizing.

"Sure, but I don't think it would do anything…" Then he came closer to Carlisle and whispered. "She has just lost her mother recently; I think is kind of a stage…"

I tried to do as if I hadn't heard anything. I hated when everyone said I had lost my mom. _I HAVEN'T LOST HER, SHE IS IN HEAVEN!!!_

Carlisle nodded to my dad and then came slowly to my side and bended down to reach my face. "You don't want to come in, do you?"

I shook my head with determination.

"I see…" He nodded. "I went to a new school when I was your age, and I was scared of how would it be and also, I kind of missed my previous school…"

I tried to pout but I somehow wanted him to finish the story, so I widened my eyes to see if he would continue.

"But as I was fighting for not going in, with my father, at the same time I was thinking how bored would I be alone, without anything to do, if I stayed in my house. So I entered this school, and went to my classroom… I thought anybody would ever talk to me, but there was this very first girl called Esme that smiled at me and asked me what my favorite game was. And there she became my best friend…"

I was so focused on the story that I forgot about the walls at my side and now I was completely defenseless.

"Do you want to go and see if you enjoy it?" The man smiled a nice smile. And I nodded timidly.

I entered to my classroom and noticed that the emerald green eyes' boy entered it too after me. He sat in a desk and stared at me. I was too nervous and thought I was about to cry when the teacher introduced me to the other children. Luckily she told me to go and sit on a desk… the one behind the emerald green eyes' boy one.

"Class, let's open our notebooks and write the date." The teacher said sweetly and wrote the date herself in a big whiteboard. I took my notebook and my red pencil in a rush.

"_TODY IS---"_

"You ate the A," I heard someone laugh.

I lifted up my eyes, to see those emerald green ones staring back. And then the red flew to my cheeks and my legs shook. I was too nervous. "Wh-what?"

"You wrote 'tody' and it is 'tod_a_y'." He smiled again.

He was right. But I didn't have a rubber, I hated those. So there wasn't anything I could do. I only stared at my notebook with embarrassment.

"Do you need this?" I heard him said again and then saw a hand with a Power Rangers' rubber appear behind my eyes. Hmm, this one wasn't that horrible. I liked the Power Rangers in it.

"Thank you," I mumbled and took it.

"You are welcome. I'm Edward. What is your name?" He smiled again – there was something that made me stare at that smile it was… pretty.

"Isabella," I mumbled.

"Ew, your name is ugly!" He laughed. I blushed again and now I was angry.

"It is not!" But I knew he was right. It was worse than broccoli.

"Yes it is! Don't you like more, hmm…" He put one finger on his lips as he thought. "Bella?"

"Bella?" I asked, surprised. It sounded much better. He nodded impatiently. "I do, thanks."

He smiled that smile again. "Do you want to be my friend?"

"Only if I can tell you Edwin," I laughed. He laughed back, and then the teacher asked for quite.

_*END OF FLASHBACK*_

_"So, you ready?"_ Edward asked in a hard voice bringing me back to reality.

"Not really, I'm still in my towel…" I mumbled back a bit ashamed.

He sighed, defeated. "_Bella, Bella… you'll never change, won't you?_"

"I didn't know I had to in first place!"

I heard him chuckle. "_You don't. I prohibit you that you ever change, you can't_."

I smiled to my inside. "I sure have some thing I need to change…"

"_Yeah, like the fact that you are reading Romeo and Juliet for what… the 20th time?"_

"The 17th…" I mumbled under my breathe. I loud guffaw from the other side of the line made me jump.

"_You are unbelievable_." He complained, sighing. "_Oh, I almost forget, my dad told me today that someone in the hospital was commenting about his son being involve in a romantic relationship with the Sheriff's daughter_."

And there I almost choked again. "A-are you serious?"

"_More than I've ever been."_ His voice was too serious, no way was he lying. And I was at the edge of the heart attack again. Jacob Black was fast.

"Oh my God, what are we gonna do?" I asked, putting one hand to my mouth.

"_For now just pray that nobody else has found out_." He sighed and then a high-pitched voice invaded the Cullens' place.

"_Alice!"_ Edward complained.

"_Give me the phone, Edward. GIVE ME THE PHONE!"_ I heard them arguing, and then Edward sighed from the other side, annoyed.

"_Bye Bell, talk to you later. Just stay calm, 'kay? And… Be careful. For me_."

"I will, Eddie. Hate you!" I smiled.

"_L--"_

"_Come on, Edward! I need to talk to her now_!" I heard Alice complaining again, her voice impatient. I just could picture her with her arms going up and down at her sides.

"_You can be really annoying some times, you now?_" Edward answered to her. "_I'll give the phone to Alice she's too thrill to tell you---- okay, okay. Love you too, Bell! Jeez…"_

I could picture him shaking his head and sighing heavily. Alice could be an annoying pixie when she wanted. What I didn't know is what she would want to tell me.

"_Bella, Bella, Bella!"_ Alice sang, too excited to just talk.

"Alice, talk to me, what is it?!" Her anxious was reaching me.

"_Guess what?"_ She sang was again.

"Umm, what?"

"_Guess!"_

I sighed loudly and the nervousness invaded my system one more time. I didn't have more time to get ready. And Alice was making it difficult.

"I don't know Alice! Please tell me now I need to get ready!"

"_YOU ARE STILL NOT READY?!"_ I needed to move the phone away from my ear for the shout she made.

"No, Alice, I'm not! I was freaking out that's why I called your brother. And the sooner you tell me everything, the sooner I hang up and get ready. So, shoot!"

She sighed and I could see her with her index and her thumb placed on her nose – trying to remain calm. "_Alright… I'm too thrilled to be upset so, I'll let that fact apart and just JUMP!_" She laughed. "_Well, it's a saying… you know_."

Okay this girl was seriously going loca. "Alice, are you alright? Sure you don't want help?"

She sighed again. "_Shut up, Bella! Just LISTEN_!"

Alright, was she kidding me? The only thing I was doing was L-I-S-T-E-N-I-N-G!

I took a deep breathe and waited for her to continue – it was sure better than discussing the listening/not-listening thing.

"_Guess who asked me out?"_ She sang.

And my heart stopped there. It was just too obvious. "_No, no, no, no, no_!"

_"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!"_

"Oh my God, Alice! Alec? I can't believe it! Alec asked you?!" I was jumping up and down on my own room; letting all the adrenaline she was sure having right now, rush through my own veins. I was so happy for Alice… she had loved that kid since FOREVER! He was only one year older than her, but for her, he was a god.

"_Yes, Alec! The most beautiful, funniest, sweetest boy in this entire earth has asked me to go out with him to eat at Aro's Pizzas tomorrow night!_" I could hear all the excitement in her voice, her heart beating in impossible speed, her legs shaking, her hands sweating. I almost could see the smile of the first love decorating her young and naïve face.

"That is so awesome, Alice. I feel so happy for you. I've always told you this boy would go out with you if he knew what was good for him!" I laughed. "So, how happened?"

She sighed in a romantic way. "_Well, I went to see Tanya in the lake and there he was… just a few feet from us. He reached us and smiled. You don't imagine how sweet his smile is, Bella! It's like… if angels were dancing all around. It's beautiful!_" She was so happy, so thrill that I just wanted to be with her in this moment, hug her tightly.

"_So then we talked, well- he talked, I listened and giggled as if I was a moron! And then he had to go… And now, like fifteen minutes ago he sent me a message and asked me_!" She finished with only a yarn of voice. And I waited for her a little bit so she could breathe again.

"That is so nice, Alice. I'm going there tomorrow night, if you need any help with anything---"

"_You know you can't help me with my outfit, don't you?"_ She said skeptically.

"Alice Cullen the Queen of Fashion!" I teased with a cheerleading voice.

"_Exactly_," She said petulantly and laughed. _"But I'll be waiting for you, anyway! Now get that nice butt of yours to the closet and take out that beautiful emerald green dress you have and you've never wore!"_

Jeez, she sometimes crept me out. She knew my closet more than I'd ever do.

"Thanks," I mumbled. But something made me curious. "Hey, how did Edward react?"

She sighed deeply. "_Like you think he would have reacted! He almost ate me when I told him, but then, with my mom's help he calmed down a little bit… Hopefully he'll stay quite when Alec comes look for me…_"

Of course he would react in that way. It was so him to be like that. "Don't worry, if he doesn't, I'll make him." I grinned mischievously; I'd always liked that kind of challenges involving Edward.

"_I hope that!"_ She laughed. "_And… by the way, did you notice how weird my brother acted when he saw you in your bikini?"_

Something in my stomach resounded. "What do you mean?" I almost whispered.

"_Are you going to tell me you didn't notice?"_ Alice asked with her skeptical voice again.

I breathed deeply. "No,"

_"You sure?"_

"Yes,"

I could just picture her rolling her eyes. "_Alright, Bella. You are clearly acting weirdly. Go change and enjoy your date with Jasper!"_ She cheered and without waiting for a reply she hung up the phone.

And here I was, again, with the heart attack approaching my young heart and my head spinning around. But now, not just because I was only thirty minutes away from my date and not ready at all… but also because something that Alice had just said left me wondering.

Was she right? Had he been acting weird? NO TIME FOR THAT!

With a jump, that almost made me meet the floor, I stood up from my bed and went to look for that 'oh, so fabulous' dress Alice recommended.

In twenty minutes I was dressed and ready.

"Dad, I should get going," I warned as I was walking down the stairs. Charlie was like always watching some match on the TV.

His eyebrows browsed when I talked, and then he smiled. "You look really nice, Bell."

"Thanks," I blushed and went to his side. "I'm really late…"

He sighed and incorporated in the sofa. "Yes, yes. Have a nice time and please be careful. Remember I'm the Sheriff here, don't you?" He teased pointing to the gun that was resting in a little table next to the door's entrance.

"Dad, please," I laughed. "I'm a big girl and besides, you knew him… he is really nice, don't you think?"

He stared deeply into my eyes for some seconds. "I'm not worried about him. But now, go, come on, you are going to be late. I want you here at midnight, okay? Go, go!"

I was already standing but again what he said at the end wondered in my head. _'I'm not worried about him,'_ So that meant he was worried about _me_? Why?

ALRIGHT! So I so needed to get away from this craziness. I almost stormed through the door and ran to my car. I turned it on in a rush and pulled the gas pedal to its max. The sound of my old truck behind the sunset was quite relaxing. I let the sound of the wheels in the road filled every inch of my brain, not wanting to think in anything but the car and the road.

The amazing white and red house appeared behind my eyes only minutes later. I slowly got out of the car and walked to the entrance. My heart already beating fast, my hands already sweating…

With shaky hands and rang the bell. And made my best to leave my tongue alone – I would be talking like a dork if I hurt it with my teeth.

I heard light steps approaching the door and then Jasper's smile. "Hi there, welcome." And then motioned for me to enter. "Come in."

"Hey, thanks." I blushed. I had to admit he was really handsome with a white and red striped shirt and blue jeans.

The house was really beautiful, even more than I had imagined. It was very bright and tidy. There were plenty of pictures of his family all over the place, but what could have caught my attention before was now a confirmation. In every four pictures of Rosalie there was one or none of her brother.  
He took my hand with a soft movement and leaded me to an amazingly big kitchen. I giggled quietly at his touch and smiled.

"So," He said as he sat me on a long bench that faced the stove full of different pots. "I hope you are hungry because I'm making you a really big banquette. Tough critic." He smiled. "Beautiful critic."


	22. Chapter 20

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 19 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. PLEASE COMMENT BACK!!!!! And I hope you like it.**_

**Chapter 20**

Jasper looked as if he was the very best chef in the whole world as he cooked the banquette that smelt deliciously. Though my stomach was seriously closed for the nervousness, the smell was just too good… And I was dying to see how it tasted.

Jasper was moving from side to side, placing some pots in the stove and taking out others. And I couldn't not smile as I saw him with his graceful movements, he actually looked happy doing that. As if he had born for cooking.

I was still sitting in the bench, my head resting in my left hand, and my eyes posed on him.

"What?" He smiled as he looked at me with puzzled eyes and then to the stove again.

"Nothing, it's just that I'm always cooking and it's nice to see a man cooking himself." I blushed a little bit, but it was true.

He sighed deeply and stared into my eyes one more time. "You know it isn't true the saying that all men are the same, right?"

I hoped not, I was betting my life on it. "You sure?"

"Completely." He smiled once again.

My mouth suddenly hung open when I saw him add a red sauce to a pot which in response exploded in fire. He looked at my bewildered face with childish eyes and chuckled.

"So haven't you ever thought about studying this professionally?" I cleared my voice.

He sighed deeply, suddenly his eyes got lost in some trail of thought. A bit of sorrow hidden in them. "I already know what I'm going to study…"

"And what is that?" I asked with an arched eyebrow. His tone didn't seem convinced at all. On the contrary.

He suddenly turned down the power of the stove a bit and walked with determined steps to a corner of the kitchen. He took a certificate from the wall, then walked to my side and placed it in my hands.

'**Best**** Boat Renter of the Year – 2009. Mark Hale**.'

"This is the seventh time consecutive that my father wins. I have to keep on with the tradition." He shrugged and placed the certificate back in its place. His hands a bit shaky, his features suddenly sad.

"I don't see you too convinced…" I said truthfully. I tried to make my tone as soft as possible because it truly wasn't of my concern. But I felt the need to know.

He laughed a bitter laugh. "Does it matter?" And then he continued with his cooking work.

"I think it does…" I mumbled again. "Is it really what you want?"

I could see him shaking his head from behind him. And another bitter laugh escaped his thorax.

"It doesn't matter what I want, it's a family business and I need to continue it. It doesn't matter if I hate it, repulse it, and love more than a thousand times more cooking or playing football, it's just doesn't matter at all. All that matters is that I continue with this stupid business of this mediocre family that shows everything but what it really is; SH*T!"

I was shocked, completely frozen. His shouts were truly strong and he seemed so angry, so hurt… that it made me want to cry.

He was still giving me his back. His hands at each side of the stove, his head down, his thorax going up and down as if he was breathing hard.

Without even thinking it twice I stood up from my seat and walked to his side, slowly, hesitantly. My hands found his shoulders as I tried to comfort him. His head turned slowly towards me, and now I saw his eyes red… as if he was making his best to stop the tears that were imminently coming.

"I'm sorry," He whispered with a husky voice. "You shouldn't have seen this, I'm just—" And then he started to cry.

My heart cracked a bit as I heard his silent sobs, and in a rush I placed myself between the stove and his body to be able to place his head in my shoulder so I could comfort him better.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry…" He kept on saying again and again. My hands moved unconsciously to his blond and wavy hair, brushing it slightly.

"Shh, don't worry… cry as much as you need, don't worry…" That was me trying to reassure him. My voice went out in a husky way; even though I wasn't crying I felt too bad for him. And an immense need to cry myself overwhelmed me.

There were too many feelings I'd been feeling inside… and it was just too much. But he didn't need this now; he needed someone to be there for him, to comfort him as apparently no one had been doing.

Some minutes passed, minutes that felt like an eternity, and his head was still placed in the hollow between my neck and my left shoulder. But luckily it wasn't wet anymore and the sobs in Jasper's thorax were decreasing with every second passing by.

Suddenly everything became silent. More serious. My heart started to beat with violence as I felt his nose brushing the bare skin of my neck. His breathing giving tickles to every portion of my body.

And then I felt something soft in my neck and I closed my eyes as his lips started leaving little kisses through all the way up of it. My heart attack was there too - oh, you never leave, don't you?!

His lips were already reaching my cheek. Every movement was slow, really slow… Our breathings a bit harder, our hands a bit more impatient.

Our mouths were now inches one from the other…

"_It's raining men, hallelujah! It's raining men, amen!"_

And of course it needed to happen. Of course he needed to call.

"Jesus Christ," Jasper muttered under his breath as we both jump from the sound of that stupid song coming from my stupid cell phone that was in my stupid pocket! He sighed deeply and walked some steps away from me.

"I'm so sorry," I pleaded as I blushed in a completely new range of red. I took the cell phone from my pocket with a fast movement and stared at it with furious eyes.

"Just answer," He sighed, shaking his head.

I nodded and placed the damn little thing on my ear. I hoped there was a very good explanation from the other side of the line if no one wanted me to become a murderer.

"Hello?" I muttered.

"_Oh, hey Bell_." I heard my-not-so-best-friend-right-now say with a casual tone.

"_What_ do you want, Edward?" I asked almost fuming.

I heard Jasper muttering something under his breath and after laughing sarcastically, I saw him turning on the power of the stove again.

"_Why the rush?"_ Edward said with casualty one more time. Was he kidding me?!

"Because I can't talk right now, remember, Edward?" My teeth were grinding. God, what was it with him?!

"_Oh, sorry, did I interrupt anything?"_ His tone was different towards the end. He suddenly seemed… serious.

"I'm going to hang up, Edward. Seriously, what do you need?" I was starting to get really angry. He'd had his dates with JessicASS, with her needy ass, and I wasn't every time interrupting them! Ugh!

"_Well, umm, I don't remember who gets killed in the book_."

I frowned involuntary. "_What_ book?"

_"Romeo and Juliet?"_

"Oh, you don't remember who gets killed in Romeo and Juliet?" Was he kidding me, I'd told him about it like more than a thousand times!

_"That's what I said, wasn't it?"_

I just wanted to hang him. Seriously. Au revoir, Edwin, see you in the next life! "Why do you want to know that _now_?!" I breathed deeply, tying to contain my rage.

"_It's just that there is this game on the TV that you need to answer these questions and one is that one."_

"Isn't the time over?" My teeth grinded one more time.

"_Let me see…_" Alright, he seriously was kidding me. _"Oh, yeah, now yep."_

"So why are you still talking to me Edward!" The impatient on my voice turned the question into an affirmation.

I peeped at Jasper once and he so didn't have a nice face. His eyebrows were forming one, his mouth in a thin line, his hands automatically moving from one side to the other. Two plates were already in the kitchen counter, and he suddenly turned off the stove. It seemed as if he was making more noise than necessary.

Did this mean the dinner was ready?

_"Sorry, I thought it was still on. So… You spending a nice time?"_

"Goodbye, Edward." I fumed.

"_'Kay, 'kay, I got it! Jeez, you don't have to be so mean!"_ He said with an annoyed voice. Oh, so he was the one annoyed!

"I'm not mean, I'm on a date!" I whispered to the phone with a hard voice. "I'm sorry, I just need to go, E. Talk to you tomorrow."

_"Alright, Be caref—"_ But I had already hung up.

I looked at Jasper with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, it's not happening again."

"Was he scared?" Jasper said sarcastically as he put the plates on the table. It had a rose in the middle.

"He wanted to play some kind of TV show game, I don't know," I sighed and sat on a chair of the little table. It was actually really nice.

"Game? That Cullen is weird." He frowned and shook his head. He then placed a steak with a red sauce and different vegetables in my plate that smelt deliciously.

The air was still too tense so I decided to light it up a little bit. "Oh, Jasper, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I'm a vegetarian." I lied, faking a disgusted face as I stared at the piece of meat in my plate.

His eyes widened with this. "Oh, really? I'm sorry I didn't know, I---"

But a laugh of my lips cut him off. "Just kidding, love meat." I smiled childishly.

He sighed in relief. "You really did scare me for a minute. Silly Bella." He smiled and sat himself.

I looked at my big plate with awe. "This looks so good."

"Taste it and then you tell me, remember, tough critic?" He teased, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah," I played. "I don't know, huh? Maybe it's not that good; I'll have to judge it…" I sighed teasingly and ate a bite.

And wow. It was more than awesome, it was perfect.

"Mmh," I mumbled with a serious voice as he scrutinized me with expectant eyes. "It's…"

His eyes were wider with every second passing by.

"It's just perfect, really. It tastes awesome." I smiled. The huge grin that appeared in his face in that second was something I would always remember.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it." He grinned and started eating too.

"How is it called?"

"_Bifteck a la Jasper,"_ He said with a French tone. And then he laughed, a dimple appearing on each side of his prominent cheeks.

Some time in the plate peas appeared. And I just couldn't not laugh.

"What? Why are you laughing?" He asked, intrigued. The corner of his lips arching involuntary.

"I'm just remembering something, I'm sorry!" I burst laughing even more. So much that I almost had tears on my eyes.

He waited with childish eyes as I finished with my laughing party. "Are you going to tell me now?"

I sighed and stared at nowhere, recreating the old scene with my head. "I was just remembering how annoying Edward can be some times… Jeez, you know, he's always hated peas, since I met him at least. And once we were at this fancy dinner of his father's work and there were SO many peas on his plate… " A grinning Jasper turned suddenly into a serious Jasper. But I needed to finish.

"So… I really don't know why but there was this tiny dog in there, like a Chihuahua? So he called the dog and gave one by one all of the peas he had. Some time later an old woman shouted desperately and there she was running from side to side with the dog in arms and shouting that the dog was dying! Edward and I stared with horror to the scene; I swear all the color in Edward's face had suddenly vanished. You should have seen his face; I've never seen him so scared! Then the veterinarian came and he said someone had given the dog something that gave him allergy and he was only minutes from dying if the vet hadn't made the intervention fast enough!" I laughed again.

Jasper was staring at me with a frown paste in his face. His features too serious.

"You know, Edward? Almost killed a Chihuahua? It's just… It's just hilarious, isn't it?"

No answer.

"Yeahm…" I kept babbling as if I was stupid. And Jasper was still with that too serious, too 'I'm-not-laughing-even-a-bit' face in himself. Just staring at me in disbelief. What was his problem? IT WAS FUNNY!

"He annoys me SO much," I sighed deeply. I wanted to say anything to break that awkward silence between us.

"You know, for being someone that annoys you immensely you talk pretty much about him." He muttered with that same serious face on him and kept on eating.

"Psst, I do not!" I mumbled as I ate a much bigger bite than what my mouth allowed me to.

"Yeah, you really do. But don't worry." He muttered again and shook his head.

The next couple of hours we spent them talking about ourselves, as always… just knowing each other a bit more. Jasper was really, really nice. I really liked him, he wasn't even near a bit similar than what I had thought. That shows you that not everything is what it seems!

The dessert was as delicious as the dinner was; chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. Yummy! How did he know it was my favorite?

Then we had a time of jokes in his living room's leather sofa. He did have pretty good jokes and really nice sense of humor. I on the other hand… Well I was a total disaster, just to say that he once faked the laughter so much that we both ended up laughing on how bad his performance was, is enough saying. But well… we did spend a nice time.

Jasper made me smile, just his name itself made me smile… And when he said mine, I wouldn't stop grinning.

"So," He sighed when we had laughed just too much – my cheeks were aching by the excess of work. "I really like spending time with you, you know?" He smiled at me.

The sofa was really large, but somehow we were too close. "I like it too," I blushed.

"Great, because I kind of like you more than you think. You are truly different from the other girls I know, _truly_ different."

"Is that good?" I tried to make my tone sound light.

He nodded anxiously. "Oh, yeah, you don't know how good it is. I'm sick of hearing girls saying they have broken their nails, or that are a milligram fatter than ten minutes ago," He shook his head in disbelief. I hated that too.

"Are you telling me I'm fat?" I teased with an overreacting-like-voice. He laughed at my side.

"No, you are just perfect. Beautiful from the inside and outside…" He whispered as he started coming closer to me.

And there my heart beat with violence one more time. My lips expecting the moment. His only mere inches from mine.

"I'm going to kiss you, I'm just warning you in case you want to turn that cell phone off…" He smiled and closed his eyes. I giggled quietly, and then…

Our lips touched. Gently, slowly, sweetly. And…

Oh My God! There wasn't this lips I had right in front of me that I was feeling, that my own were touching…

They were Edward's. I was freaking remembering Edward's lips when Jasper was kissing me!

I froze so much that I thought Jasper would think he was kissing a stone called Bella. His hands were caressing my hair and mine were just frozen in his shoulders.

No, Bella! CONCENTRATE! Y-O-U A-R-E N-O-T F-E-E-L-I-N-G W-H-A-T Y-O-U T-H-I-N-K Y-O-U A-R-E F-E-E-L-I-N-G! Yes, that was my brain in a vain attempt to convince me of something that was just not true. I could feel Edward's lips; I even could see the boat! My God, I was going completely whacko! Charlie was sure going to put me in a madhouse tomorrow morning because I was going completely insane, maybe I'd turned a serial killer… Maybe I wanted to kill Jasper right now--

"Bella, are you okay?" I heard Jasper asking in front of me, his eyes worried. "I think you need to breathe,"

I did as he commanded. And I felt much better. At least I didn't want to kill Jasper.

"You just—froze, sure you are okay?" His voice came in a worried way too. And I just prayed that my face wasn't that bad.

I nodded slowly. "I-I'm fine, I'm just a bit tired, I guess…" I mumbled, a bit disoriented.

"Alright…" He stared deeply into my eyes. "You wanna go home?"

And I didn't! But I was completely confused; I didn't know what to think! And his lips felt good on mine… But they weren't his the ones I felt. They were my best friend's ones.

"Yes, I think I better go… It's almost midnight anyway…" I breathed and stood up from the sofa.

He both walked in a quite way; I couldn't stare anywhere but the floor.

"Wait a sec," He said when we were already outside the door and went inside the house again.

I used that the time for breathing slowly and trying to calm myself down. God, how I hated that the one thing that would always calm me down was now the same thing that would give me a heart attack!

Jasper came outside again and looked at me with a smile. "This was for you," He shrugged and gave me the rose I saw in the table.

"Thanks, I love it." I gasped and felt its nice smell.

"So, I guess I'll be seeing you this Tuesday, huh?"

"I guess," I choked. I had almost forgotten about that. Oh, boy.

He walked by my side to my car and closed the door for me. He then bended down to reach my face.

"I wasn't kidding about the 'you are different' thing, you seriously are. And I seriously like you. I want this as slow as possible, I want to make things right just for once in my life." He sighed and stared once again into my eyes with such intensity that I had to look away.

He was so sweet. But I couldn't promise anything now, not tonight, not after this. I needed to think just a bit. I knew it wasn't anything; it would probably be just another later symptom of the butter illness… But anyway I couldn't say anything tonight. So I just smiled back.

"Sorry about the scene today, I'm really not like that—"

"Hey, it's okay, really. I like that you feel you can in me." And that was true.

He sighed. "I wish you could trust in me too," And then after leaving me in shock again for his previous state, he kissed me sweetly on the cheek and went away from the car.

With shaky hands I turned it on and pressed the gas pedal – not to the top. I didn't have any rush now. I waited until I couldn't see the house anymore and put hard rock in the stereo - the volume as loud as possible.

And there I just let the strong instruments flow through my body, trying to fade away any worry. Even if it wasn't possible.


	23. Chapter 21

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 21 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. Would you COMMENT BACK please? **_

_**Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 21**

The next day I woke up startled. Pictures of the date with Jasper would appear at every single minute of my sleep… and most of all, the feeling when I kissed him and it wasn't him who I felt.

That was seriously freaking me out. I was making my best not to think about it though, but even when I was still in my bed biting my tongue with violence, my mind only seemed to be able to reproduce that scene in my head. Those lips that weren't his…

It was going to rain today, I could see that for the clouds that were formed up in the sky. Good for that, I wasn't in the mood for seeing the sun today. I was feeling weird, and strange, and completely out of place. As if I wanted to escape some hours from the earth and fly to the moon… Forgetting any worry, anything that would make me upset. And then coming back with a huge grin in my face and enjoy Jasper as he deserved, and I deserved.

But I couldn't escape to the moon, and I couldn't forget everything - no matter how much I wanted to. I stared to the window for some seconds, immensely concentrated in every little thing from outside. I was going to predict the rain; to see how everything changed until the first drop would pour.

Because nature is the most complex and at the same time simple thing I was sure that existed. Everything had it precise time and precise method, every tiny thing with the other was connected in some strange way… So complex, and yet so simple. Like the rain washing everything with its presence, the plants opening in proportions human would never notice to reach more water. Everything was perfect, everything was complex, everything was simple.

I felt like nature today. There was this complex and yet simple thing going inside me, but nature is patient… Nature waits to the right moment. And so would I. Just wait and see if it was the butter effect what I was feeling. Wait and see. Because in the end, time is the only wise thing on this earth. Time is the only one who truly knows.

And there it poured – the first drop.

After my philosophical moment of the day I decided it was time to get out of my bed. I had a nice, warm, long shower. Making my best for the water to reach every tensed muscle of my body. And then I did what I'd do almost every day that rained, my passion, the one thing I would never get tired of – I read.

Romeo and Juliet were here with me for the 18th time. Always showing me something new, something different of their relationship. I knew Romeo was just a character, but… that love is enviable. Something that would never stop, something that would always be even when death came in the way.

Unconsciously I started to remember about yesterday night, when Edward called me to ask his so relevant question. Come on! Who didn't know they both died in the end?! I was sure he did!

And then I started to laugh… I knew I was going crazy but I didn't care. Just picturing Edward in front of the TV with wide eyes as he thought of the answer to the question was just too hilarious. I could just picture him frowning and completely mad with himself because he didn't remember it in the moment he needed to. As he would always say,

_'It's frustrating; when you don't need something you just remember it like if it was your name. And when you need it more than anything, you forget it like the 8 multiplication table.'_

I cracked up laughing remembering the time we dressed like hippies, then him dressed like a chicken when I wanted to stop the chicken kill, then the time he almost killed a Chihuahua… He was unbelievable. Amazing.

_"For never was a story of more woe  
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."_

With the final lines I started crying, as always. After eating, I decided it was time to clean the house a little bit – it was summer and I truly didn't do it everyday. Sue me! Who cleaned in summer, anyway?

I went to take the garbage outside and remembered to check the mail. And Oh My God, there was a letter there… A letter that I'd been expecting for a really long time.

I took a deep breath and walked slowly to the house again with the letter in hands. It was raining a bit, but I needed these relaxing drops over my body, I was too nervous. I entered to my house quietly and placed the letter in the table.

Without even planning to, I started walking in circles around the table – too nervous to open it, just chewing my tongue in a completely new way. I walked around for more than my legs could resist, but I couldn't sit down either – not with that piece of paper in front of my eyes.

So I just did what I would have done in first place – trying to leave on a distant side what happened yesterday night, trying to forget the unforgettable.

"Edward?" I gasped from my cell phone.

_"Bell? Why aren't you calling me to my house?"_

"Because I'm too nervous to take my eyes off it." I choked, staring at the piece of paper as if of that would depend my life.

_"It?"_

"A letter from Dartmouth just arrived." I chewed my tongue one more time.

_"Jeez, they are fast. Mine arrived today too. Don't know why I agreed to do it, though. You know I'm not going anywhere…"_

"Did you open it?" Now my heart started to beat faster.

I heard Edward sigh from the other side. "_Nope, I'm a chicken_."

I laughed. "Don't worry, I'm a chicken too." I sighed deeply and stared one more time at it. At least I was now sitting in a chair. "Should we open it at the same time?"

_"Why don't you come and we open them here? Alice was going to call you anyway,"_

I could picture Alice already freaking out. And I truly wanted to be there for her in her first date. Besides I didn't have anything to do, and being alone when I'd open the letter wasn't the best thing considering my lunatic state and all.

"Sure, why not? See you in '20!" I was already standing, the letter on one hand my raincoat on the other.

_"You want me to go and pick you up? I mean, it's seriously raining now and… well,"_ He sighed. _"Your truck is a bit old, you know?"_

I snorted. "Edwin, I can really take care of myself, thank you very much." Psst, my truck, OLD? Psst!

_"'Kay, just asking. Be careful."_ And then the line was dead.

I put my raincoat in a rush and stormed through the door. I was covering the letter as if it was my little baby, protecting it from any possible danger. Like rain.

The truck roared to life and within seconds I was already in the roadway that would lead me to the Cullens'. I drove with caution, just to please Edward.

The letter was beside me in the passenger's seat; it seemed as if it was staring at me.

"WHAT?" I shouted to it with eyes wide open. And then shook my head violently as I realized I was talking to a piece of paper. That butter was damn powerful!

I sighed in relief as I was already entering the Cullens' house. Not after staring in awe to its perfect architecture. The beauty this house had in every inch of it was shown even more with the little drops on it.

"Let's do it," I gasped with the letter in hand when Edward opened the door.

He had one eyebrow arched and a mischievous smile on his unique face. "Never seen you like this."

"Never received a letter from Dartmouth before," I sighed and ran to the living room. I heard his steps following right behind.

"Where is everyone?" I asked as I realized the house was too quite.

"My mom went to see my dad because he'd a free hour, Alice is already having a shower, and Emmett… well he should be somewhere playing in the mud." He chuckled and went to seat beside me in the floor next to the coffee table.

I suddenly stared at his clothes. "Hey, did you notice we are dressed in the same colors?" I frowned. We both had blue jeans and grey t-shirts. Well, they were different but… they were both grey!

He sighed teasingly. "I always knew you copy me."

"How would I have possibly copy you today if I didn't know what were you going to wear?" I patted his shoulder in a teasing way.

"You already know one of my favorite colors is grey." He said matter of factually and stared at me with childish eyes.

"I thought your favorite color was blue," I said truthfully. I remembered well he always said that.

"Umm, no," He frowned. "That's my favorite color for you. I love how blue looks on you."

"Oh," I said and stared at the letter. Just there a brief image of yesterday night shook my brain and I shook it violently to see if that would make it end.

"You okay?" Edward asked grabbing my shoulder. He seemed worried. "Why are you shaking like that?"

Oops. I sure looked like the loca I was in that moment. "Umm, it's just this new ritual I saw some days ago on TV. When you want something to go well you shook your head from side to side in a desperate way." I lied and prayed for it to be something believable.

"Huh," His eyes seem thoughtful for a second. "Let's do it so." And then he started.

His head was going from side to side as if he suddenly was the Tasmanian Devil. I needed to bite my tongue really hard not to laugh, it was just too hilarious.

Minutes later he ended his whacko party. "It's really good! I can feel everything is going to be fine in my veins." He laughed.

And I thought I was the crazy one here! "Oh, you do?" I bit my tongue one more time.

"Yeah, let's open it!" He shouted, too excited. And I gulped. I was seriously scared. Though on one side it didn't matter if I was accepted because I didn't have enough money saved and I sure didn't want to ask Charlie the rest. On the other one, I was so dying to get accepted. To prove myself of how much I was capable of. Something Edward had always told me.

"You ready?" He said as he stared into my eyes. His eyes trying to comfort me. But I was frozen, I couldn't move. "Hey Bell, don't worry… Everything's gonna be fine. I can feel it. It doesn't matter what this letter says, you know you are going to rock anyway." He smiled at me and placed a hand on my shoulder – the other one had my letter.

He was right. I didn't need a letter to tell me who I was, I already knew. I nodded slowly and took the letter from his hands.

"One, two, three," He called and we both shred the paper. And I opened it…

I shouted with happiness. My eyes closed, my mouth arched in a huge grin. I was in. I WAS IN!

I turned to look at Edward with relieved eyes. "I can't believe it, I've been accepted, E. I've been accepted!" I almost cried.

He smiled brightly. "I knew you would, you are just too good. Everyone wants you in their place." He chuckled.

I punch him lightly in the arm and smiled. "So what about you?"

His eyes were suddenly sad. Oh, no. "I… HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED!" He grinned.

Irrationally I jumped to his lap and took him in a big hug. I was just too happy, even though he now said he didn't want to go, and even though I didn't have all the money I needed; WE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED TO DARTMOUTH, TOGETHER!

"Oh, I can't believe it!" I cheered as I placed my head on his shoulder. "Edward! Can you believe it?"

But he stayed quite, his head in my own bare shoulder. I could only hear his breathing going just a bit faster than usual. I took the time to smell his calming smell from his bare neck, but somehow this time didn't calm me down. On the contrary, it gave something really weird, something I'd never experienced in the tip of my stomach.

I jumped back when my masochistic brain recreated one more time the scene of last night I was trying so hard to suppress. My cheeks suddenly blushed, my legs suddenly shaking.

"Wh-what's wrong?" He asked with a husky voice. His eyes disoriented.

I gulped hard. "Umm, nothing… My legs went numb." I lied, staring to anywhere but his suspicious eyes.

"That's happening a lot to you lately, isn't it?" His voice came in a suspicious way too. And something that I'd always loved in him that was how much of a perceptive person he was - was right now something I hated.

I shrugged and changed topic quickly. "So, what are you going to do?" I pointed to the letter.

"You already know I'm not going, but it was nice to know they want me there." He smiled and dropped his eyes to the letter. I could see in them the hidden sadness, how much he really wanted to go and wouldn't show it. "And what about you?"

"I don't know, I think I won't be able to go to this one either, I still don't have enough money." I shrugged. I could always wait for the other applications from the universities that weren't that famous so they were cheaper. Though I would have loved to go to Dartmouth, it was something that my mother had always wanted for me. But well, you couldn't have everything you wanted in life. That only happened in fairy tales, and I sure I wasn't living one.

Edward looked at me in disbelief and crossed his arms through his chest. "Bella, don't be silly. You know I can give you that money."

"No, no, _no_," I was talking faster than I could, but I wanted to make my point very clear and _fast_. "That's not happening Edward, you know I would never let that happen."

"Why not? My father would be more than pleased, you know how much he loves you." He complained, his eyes deep on mine.

"Just because, Edward! I'm not going to ask your family for money, it's not right. After everything they have done for me, you expect me to also ask them money?" They had always been so nice with me when I needed it, I couldn't ask for anything else. No way.

He laughed once. "Bella, you know you've given them a lot back, right?"

"Like _what_?"

He came closer to me. "First of all the fact that you make their son happy, truly happy. And that he wouldn't be if you didn't exist or were here." He grinned at me, his words making me blush.

I smiled timidly. "You know that's nothing to do with them, I'm with you because you make me happy too. I'm selfish. But that has nothing to do with you giving me money."

He sighed loudly. "Alright, let's just not discuss this right now, okay? We still have like a month." Only a month? We were today on July, 31st. Wow, time passed fast.

I nodded eagerly. I so didn't want to discuss this now either; I just wanted to think of my acceptance – only knowing _that_ made me happy, no matter what'd happen then.

Just then we heard a scream from Alice. Less than a fraction of a second later I could see Edward already running up the stairs. I followed right behind – my heart in my mouth.

"Alice, what is it?" Edward shouted opening the door with a fast movement. I was fearing the worst.

But no. There she was, all dressed and pretty, and looking herself in the mirror with horror in her eyes.

"I have a pimple!" She pouted.

Edward sighed in relief and glared at her with killing eyes. "You can't do that, Alice!"

"Do what?" She frowned.

"Screaming as if someone was killing you when the only thing that is happening is that you have a pimple!"

She fumed at him with dark eyes. "The _only_ thing, Edward? Can you see the size of it?" She said, pointing to a little spot in her nose.

Edward rolled his eyes and turned around to face me, waving his arms at each side of him in frustration. "Can you deal with this, please? My male hormones prohibit me to discuss how large a pimple is." He grumbled and walked to the wall next to the door. I saw him staring at Alice in disbelief and crossing his arms across his chest.

I sighed heavily and after shooting him a dead look I went to meet Alice's pimple. Maybe we could even name it. Mr. Dean the pimple.

"Bella!" Alice cried to me. "What am I going to do?! I can't go out with this thing in my face!" She crossed her eyes so she could stare at it. And I just laughed.

"What are you laughing at?!" Now I was afraid. Her face wasn't anything nice.

"S-sorry, I-I'm n-not l-laughing," I tried to say between guffaws.

"Oh yeah? And what is what you are doing, inventing a new language?" She fumed- her eyes looked like a lethal sore directly to mine.

I breathed deeply and made my best to compose myself. "You are right, sorry. Laugh is vanished, now let's start working."

"What do you mean?" She scowled.

I sighed and shook my head. "Alice, Alice… weren't you the Queen of Fashion?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with this?!" She pointed one more time to our new little/not so little friend Mr. Dean.

I grinned smugly and took some make up from her dressing table. "That we can make it invisible."

She grinned in response. Her arms already going up and down. Good, we had our happy Alice again.

"You are a genius, Edward, your best friend is a genius!" She sang and took the foundation from my hands with an eager movement.

I placed myself beside Edward in the wall. A smug smile pasted to my face. "See, today I'm the genius." I stack my tongue at him.

He sighed and shook his head. "I always knew you were a genius, genius. That's why you are my friend." He chuckled.

I punched him hard on his big arm. "Shut up, you jerk." And then we waited quietly as we saw Alice covering Mr. Dean.

When it was almost the hour of Alice's date, we were already down stairs. All the family was present now, all staring at Alice. Esme with awe, I could see how proud she was of her daughter as looked at her with melted eyes. Carlisle in a torn way, I could feel his inside debate, he was surely pondering whether if he should be happy for his daughter or scared of what might happen. Emmett was just Emmett, his usual big grin pasted in his face, but some feeling of older brother was invading his big features too.

And Edward? Do I even have to say it? His face was a poem. His fists clenched and his features rigid, cold. I knew him too much to know he was making his best to restrain himself and not go running behind Alice, begging her to stay home.

"Let me take a picture!" Esme sang with a little digital camera on her hands. "Oh my! My baby's first date! This is so exciting!" She cried as flashes sparkled at every millisecond.

"Mom, you are making me blush!" Alice complained giggling. I stared at her with half hearted eyes; the five-year-old little girl I once knew, was now a beautiful young woman. Her eyes were sparkling as she stared at the camera with a huge grin. She looked so beautiful with a violet dress, almost like a model.

The bell suddenly sounded, making all of us jump.

"I'll go open," Esme cheered; her face happy.

I rushed to Alice's side and tried to calm her down with my hand on her shoulder. She was breathing in and out in a therapeutic way, her cheeks a bit blushed.

She suddenly stared at her family with focus eyes. "Could you act human, please?"

Edward snorted. "What are we?"

"_You_, I don't know. Please behave." She pleaded to her brother and made a face to me. I knew that was my cue to go restrain him. Casually I left Alice's side and sat beside Edward in the big sofa of the living room.

"Come in, Alec." We heard Esme cheering and immediately we all faced to the door.

The smile in Alice's face as she stared at her love entering through the door was breathtaking. Alec grinned back, impatiently.

"Hello, Alec. I'm Carlisle, Alice's father." Carlisle welcomed with a polite voice and waited for Alec to shake his hand.

Alec shook it and grinned. He seemed shy. "I know, doc. Thanks for letting me go out with Alice." He said gently. Wow, he was really nice. I didn't know that. He then waved his hand to us and greeted up in the same polite way.

I heard Edward grouch at my side and tense a bit more. Instantly I took his hand and squeezed it. "Behave," I muttered to him with a low voice. He rolled his eyes and softened his posture a little bit. Not entirely, though.

"Alice, let's go?" Alec went to Alice side and gave her another nice smile. She nodded eagerly in response.

"I'll bring her back at eleven." He said to Carlisle, his voice respectful.

Carlisle nodded in a gentle way. "Have fun." And before anyone could say anything else, they were already turning to the door.

"Hey!" Edward called to them, jumping to his feet. They both turned around, Alec features showed scare. Alice's on the other hand… well; let's say her face didn't show anything nice. "Take care of her, okay, _Alec_?" He muttered that poor boy's name with disgust.

"Sure," He gulped back and they disappeared through the door.

Edward stayed frozen, facing the door. Even though I was behind him, I could feel his torn features, his sad eyes.

His father put an arm on his shoulder. "Son, don't worry. Everything is going to be alright. I know you do it because you love her, but though it is hard, we have to let her fly." Carlisle showed his wisdom with every word spoken. Edward nodded once and went to sit by my side again, completely mute.

"Your mother and I have a dinner now; it's from someone from work. You are invited if you want; of course you are too, Bella." Carlisle smiled at me. Esme and Carlisle were both putting on their jackets as he spoke.

Edward shook his head. "Nah, I want to be here just in case. And besides, is it that old woman going?" He winked at me.

"What old woman?" Esme asked, frowning.

"That one with the Chihuahua."

"I think she is," Carlisle replied, his eyes puzzled. "Why?"

Edward and I both laughed. "Nothing, nothing," He said and sighed.

"Alright," Carlisle looked at us as if we were crazy - that we all knew we were. "Emmett, do you want to come?"

Emmett eyes got lost for some seconds in some trail of thought. "Free food? Hell yeah!" He shouted with a grin and went to grab his jacket almost running. God, he sometimes could be a child.

We all laughed in response and after a 'Goodbye,' they were already outside the house.

The quietness invaded the room once again and after some minutes of being splashed in the sofa, Edward sighed.

"So… a movie?" He suggested arching an eyebrow invitingly. I nodded with a grin, I loved movies' night.

"What do you have in mind?"

"A horror movie," He said faking a dark voice. "Muahaha."

I gulped. "What horror movie?"

He grinned mischievously. "I know what you did last summer." He said with that same voice.

I shook my head violently. "NO! It scares me!"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Oh, come on Bell! We are older now! Promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."

I glared at him. "Last time you said that, I ended up all covered in mud."

He chuckled once. "But that was because it was too funny, and nothing bad happened to you, anyway. Come on, Bell," He looked at me with puppy eyes. God, I hated those. "_Please_?"

I sighed loudly. Jeez, he was such a child sometimes! "Alright, alright, bring it on!"

He grinned and went to put the movie on the big plasma television. God, if I'd hated to see it in my tiny TV… I couldn't imagine how much I would in this one.

In the scariest parts I screamed and clutched my hands to Edward's back. I'd hide between him and the sofa until he'd tell me the scene was over. I must have seen twenty minutes of the entire movie – the first twenty ones.

"My back is aching, you know?" Edward sighed heavily when the credits were already showing.

"Well, you deserved that! I've been at the edge of a heart attack the whole time!" I complained, crossing my arms through my chest. What he didn't know was that the heart attack was already my friend, considering all the times I'd been being at the edge of it in this short period of time.

"Sorry, I just love seeing your scared face. It's too funny." He smiled his Colgate smile.

"Ha ha," I muttered and sighed heavily. "So you behave pretty well tonight, huh?"

"Don't even say it." He muttered and stared at the front.

"You think they are kissing right now?" I giggled childishly.

He froze in his place and glared at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was kidding!" I laughed, putting my hand in my mouth in an 'oops' way.

He shook his head, annoyed and placed his head on the sofa to stare at the ceiling.

We stayed like that for some seconds until he sighed again. "So how was your date with Hale?" He asked; his eyes still in the ceiling.

I gulped heavily. Why did he have to bring the subject?! "Umm, okay," I muttered back and stared to my hands. My teeth found in a second my tongue.

"_Okay_?" I could feel his eyes now posed on me.

"Yeah, it was fine." I muttered again.

"Can't you give me any more detail?" His voice came more impatient.

"What do you want to know?" THAT I THOUGHT OF YOU WHEN I WAS KISSING HIM?!

"I don't know! Something… like… I don't know, Bella. Just something more…" It looked as if he wanted to ask something and he didn't find the words – or as if he had found them but knew he couldn't ask it.

"Well, what I can tell you is that we were spending a nice time when someone interrupted us!" Now I looked at him, my eyes accusing.

"Oh," He grinned in an apologetic way. "Sorry, that game was kind of… wow!" He widened his eyes.

I frowned. "Kind of _wow_?"

He nodded with wide eyes, his stare meeting anywhere but me. "Yeah, like wow, like seriously… wow!"

Alright; what did he freaking mean with 'wow'?!

"Even if the game was wow or not wow, whatever that means, you did know who gets killed in the end of Romeo and Juliet." I stared at him deeply in the eyes so he couldn't escape the state. He seemed nervous, strange.

"I-I didn't remember, Bella. Jeez! You because you read it a thousand times but I don't have to remember." He said angrily.

I sighed. "Whatever, Edward, I just didn't interrupt you when you were with Jessicas—a."

His eyes went suddenly dark when I said this. "So what did I interrupt? What would have happened if I wouldn't have called, huh?" His voice came stronger, so did his stare.

And I blushed. "Nothing Edward, the same things that happen in dates."

"Like kissing?" He mumbled.

And of course he had to say it. Of course my brain gave me a flashback of when I was in Jasper's leather sofa and it wasn't him I was feeling.

I blushed violently and my legs shook involuntarily. "I guess." I didn't know how he understood me, because I couldn't even hear my own sound.

"So you did kiss him?"

"What do you care, Edward?! It's my business!" I snapped at him. My eyes furious.

His eyes widened in response of my tough action and some kind of pain appeared on their deepness. "Because I care about you, Bella! Jeez, I thought you trusted me."

"I do, I trust you! But what do you want to know?! Yeah I kissed him, big deal! Would you like to tell me how you f*c*ed JessicASS?!" My own eyes flickered with my words that came off me without any warn. I was as shocked as Edward seemed to be, his mouth hanging open. Besides, I hated the F word.

He was going to tell me something, his eyes suddenly hurt. But when he opened his mouth to talk, my cell phone rang. He sighed loudly in response and punched the sofa with strength.

I took in with shaky hands. "Hello?" I snapped to my cell phone, not even bothering to look to the ID caller.

"B-Bella, is Alice. P-please don't say it's me!" Alice said with her voice faltering. It seemed as if she was crying – crying like hell.


	24. Chapter 22

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 21 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. Okay if I don't receive one comment at least, I won't post anymore. **_

_**Haha, jk :P But please tell me what you think!!! Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 21**

I stayed frozen for some seconds without being able to react. I had Alice crying on the other side of the phone line and I couldn't make my body react!

Edward suddenly look at my face and saw my torn expression – his eyes gaining impatience and worry with each second passing by. But I did my best to look to anywhere but his eyes, I couldn't lie to him looking directly to his eyes. Not if it was about Alice.

"B-Bella, please I need you to come pick me up." I could hear the rain through the phone. Alice's voice more hysteric with every moment passing, my heart beating faster.

I cleared my voice and looked for the words that were buried deep down my body. "Alright, just, tell me where you are," Edward was mumbling 'who is it?' with a frown. "I'll go now, _Jasper_." It was the only way.

Edward laughed a bit bitterly and after mumbling something incoherent, he stared at the ceiling – his arms crossed over his chest.

Alice's voice sounding again took me from my hypnotizing state as I tried to decipher Edward's weird reaction. "_Jasper_? Oh, is Edward next to you? Please don't tell him it's me, please don't!" She cried again, her voice more hysteric.

"I promise I won't, please tell me where you are!" I was more impatient too. My brain wouldn't stop showing possible things that could make Alice cry. And some weren't nice at all.

She tried to breathe deeply. "I'm somewhere near Marcus' pizza, but in the woods. Well, in the road… there is no one here, Bella, no one! He left me alone, and it's dark, please Bella, please come look for me, I'm scared!" I wanted to cry myself. I was almost at the edge of tears. Just knowing that Alice could be in any possible danger made my heart crack.

"I'll go now, I'll be there in some minutes, please just try to calm down, okay?" With that I was already on my feet and with my raincoat on my hand.

"Alright, I'll try…" I heard her cry a bit more and then hang up the phone.

Edward was behind me in that same second, mimicking every step I did. "Where are you going?"

"I've to go look for Jasper," I almost choked and begged that he wouldn't question me too much, I didn't know what to tell to him!

I was reaching the door now, he was like my shadow behind me. "Why?"

"Because he needs me now, Edward," I said as I had my hand on the handle of the door.

He sighed deeply. "Let me go with you."

"What?" I turned around and frowned at him.

"It's raining like hell, Bella, and you seem pretty upset, just---" He breathed again. "Let me give you a drive, please."

I was more than upset, I was practically going crazy! But it didn't matter, I needed to go and _now_. "Jeez, Edward, stop stepping in my relationship with Jasper, it's really annoying!" I snapped at him, silently apologizing for what I'd just said. It was the only way for him to leave me alone right now.

His eyes widened with this sudden state, and I think I could see some sorrow in the depths of his emerald green eyes. "Alright, I was trying to help… I'm sorry."

Ouch. That hurt - his expression, his voice… That hurt _a lot_. Without thinking it twice I turned around and stormed through the door.

"Just be careful, _please_!" He shouted from the door. But I was already inside my car.

I turned on the engine and made the gas pedal reach it top as I had never done. Not caring about anything but the girl that could be hurt some miles away. I ran through the wet, dark road, my hands tight in the steer wheel, my eyes a hundred percent concentrated in the way.

In less than possible I had already reached Marcus' Pizza. Slower now, my eyes started scanning its surroundings. But there were lights and people here, so it couldn't be the place. I pressed the gas pedal with force again and went forward a bit more.

Now the woods were surrounding me from my right side. And my heart beat with violence as I was reaching the place. I could now see a girl in the road, covering her arms with her hands and with her head down.

I stormed out the car too fast and my body found the hard asphalt. I moaned in pain one as I felt my hands crashing to the road and then a red, grouse, thick liquid going through my left one.

Not caring a bit about it I made my best to stand up and run to Alice. "Alice!" I shouted at her when I was reaching her spot.

She looked up at me, her features a bit more relieved. "Oh, Bella! You are here!" She gasped, and then my arms found her in a big hug. I embraced her as if she was my own daughter. Tears coming from my own eyes as I saw her there, safe.

I was already going to take her to the car, my hands already in the wheelchair, I didn't want to torment her with questions now, I wanted to take her to a warm place. When suddenly the light of another car made me froze.

I flickered once and then I could already see a cold, angry, familiar face coming to meet us. Alice stood in silence too, almost as the statue as I was right now.

He ran to us in impossible speed and took my hands off the wheelchair. Without even saying a thing, without even looking at me once, he started pulling it to his car. With again incredible skills and speed he reached it. His hands found Alice in a second and placed her inside it. He put the wheelchair in the trunk and then stormed to the driver's seat. With an impossible maneuver he turned over and sped through the wet road.

I stayed there, froze, completely wet now. With my hand still with the red liquid and aching. But that was not what ached the most, oh hell, that didn't hurt a bit comparing with how much my heart was hurting.

I had never seen Edward with an expression like that on his face. I had never seen his eyes so angry towards me, his features so cold… I could sense his disappoint through every pore of his body and that was just killing me. Without warning tears started to stream down my face, but it looked like the pouring rain caressing strongly my cheeks.

A minute later the lights of a car illuminated the place again, the speed was only too much. And for a second I feared something bad could happen to me. But then the car pulled over, too near from me. The shiny Volvo passenger's seat window opened.

I saw my best friend sighing deeply and then muttering. "Get in the car Bella, I'll pick your truck tomorrow. Get in the _damn_ car, now."

I gulped in my place and walked slowly to his car, too shocked to run. I climbed it silently and then the car came to life again.

The car was surrounded by a supernatural quietness. The only thing that could be heard was Alice's silent tears and the pouring rain outside the car. No one wanted to talk, no one _dared_ to talk.

I peeped at Edward once just to wish to not have done that. He was completely serious, rigid, tense. His hands clenched to the steering wheel, his mouth in a thin line. But the worst were his eyes. They were so distant… as if this was the first time we met.

I wanted to cry, cry like hell. I had a lump in my throat and was trying to gulp me tears as much as possible. I had so many questions I wanted to do to Alice, but I knew I couldn't do it. Now I was stranger, at least for Edward.

Suddenly a huge pain invaded my left hand, and a moan escaped my thorax involuntarily.  
I didn't want to look at it, I was scared to see to much blood and faint here and now. No need to add more drama to this night.

"Let me see that." Edward commanded to me with that same cold voice and waited with one hand in the air. I put my hand on his and saw his worried eyes as he scanned the graze. I really didn't know how he managed to do everything at the same time, driving, being tense and a doctor? But I knew this wasn't the best time to ask.

"I'll clean it at home." He muttered and took the staring wheel with both hands again.

We reached the Cullens' house in less than expected. Edward did the same procedure than before and in seconds we were already inside the house. Everyone still too quite, everyone still too tense.

"Alice," Edward breathed when we were already up the stairs reaching Alice's room, his expression like the one of a dead. "Please tell me what happened."

Alice shook her head, still sobbing. "I-I don't want to talk right now Edward, I just want to go to bed."

"Please, Alice, _please_ tell me." Edward begged from behind his sister. He seemed desperate.

"I DON'T WANT TO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Alice shouted back. Now sobs turning to tears one more time. She stormed through her room and shut the door closed.

Edward splashed his arms to his sides in a defeated way and collapsed to the wall. He slide down through it till he was in a crouch, his arms crossed over his legs and his head hidden in them.

I was standing, like an idiot. Not being able to comfort two of the persons I cared most in this world. But I needed to say something, I couldn't stay like this!

Without even moving and with almost a yarn of voice I spoke. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Please don't, not now." He mumbled with his head still in his knees.

I nodded once. I knew I had screwed it up and big. I knew I should have told him that it was about Alice, that I shouldn't have lied to him like that. But what could I do now?

I had had what I deserved with the cut in hand. No, I deserved worst. I had let down my best friend, and hurt him with one of the things he loved most in this world. I deserved much, much worst.

So I went to see if I could fix things a bit from the other side. Besides, I was dying to know what had happened. And I knew she needed to talk to someone.

"Alice?" I called from the other side of the door. "Can I come in, please?"

"Go away, I don't want to talk to anybody!" She gasped back.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, don't talk…"

She sighed deeply and gave me the ok. "Come."

Alice was in her bed, her eyes to the ceiling her nose red for the excess of crying. She looked like a hurt, little doll. But I knew she didn't need drama right now. I knew she needed to talk in a soft, quite way. Without anything that pushed her.

So slowly I went to her side, and rested my head on the bed beside her. "Are you alright?" I whispered to her.

"How does it look like?" She mumbled back. Well, at least she was talking.

"Right," I breathed. "I don't want you to be sad, Alice."

"How can I be with what happened to me?" With that she started crying again.

I took her in a big hug and waited for her to cry all she wanted. Calming her from time to time with some 'Shhs,' and 'It's okay,'.

Suddenly she was calmer, only sobbing silently. And it was the time.

"What happened, Alice? What did he do to you?" I whispered to her.

She shook her head, and I thought she wasn't going to continue but she did. "I hate him."

"Why?"

"Because he isn't what he seems! He went out with me because…" She trailed off.

"Because?"

"Because of my condition! He knew that as I was in a wheelchair no one would ever want to be with me and so he thought he could take advantage of me!" She shouted, her voice faltering again.

I could just picture Edward with a grim, his eyes programmed to kill. I could just picture him totally focused on what Alice was saying and just thinking of a way to kill Alec.

"But, what happened, Alice?" I tried to hide the impatience in my voice but it was growing with every second passing by.

She breathed deeply and stared at the ceiling one more time. "We went to Marcus' Pizza, we ate and everything was awesome. He was funny and sweet… Then he told me if we wanted to go on a drive and I knew he wanted to kiss me there, I wanted too." She said that last part in a whisper as if she knew Edward was hearing from the other side. "So I said yes and we went and he parked the car there next to the woods… I just thought he wanted to just kiss me but then everything turned more serious and I tried to pull him away and he wouldn't stop, so there I slapped him. And he turned really angry and took me outside the car in a rush and violently and then he left, Bella. HE LEFT ME ALONE! And before going away, he… he told me I didn't worth anything, that no one would ever love me as I was. And it's true Bella, who would like to be with someone like me?!" She started crying again. Oh, that b*st*rd. I could so cut him his eyes right now!

I hugged her strongly. "Alice that's not true, how can you even think that?!"

"I-It's true, Bella… who would love someone like this? Who can't feel half of the part of her body, huh? WHO?" She cried again. I was making my best to not cry myself; I was really, really making my best. But it was just too hard.

"Alice," I said in weak a whisper, caressing her hair. "That is not true… please you know how sweet you are, how nice and beautiful you are. That boy made you a favor, because you deserve someone _way_ better, Alice. You are going to fall in love with someone that loves you too, and he will love you till the ends of the days. I promise you Alice, you just have to be patient and take a deep breathe. I promise you, you'll find someone that loves you as you deserve Alice."

We stayed quite for some minutes then. When she sighed again. "Have you found him?" She suddenly asked me, her eyes deep on mine.

And I just stayed frozen. Something inside suddenly made me think I had, I had found that one that would love me as much as I would till the ends of days.

"Is Jasper the one that will love you like that?" She asked again when I didn't answer.

But that answer was just too obvious. "No, he's not."

"I hope you find him some day, Bella. You deserve it." She smiled at me. And then she suddenly looked to my hand. "What happened to you?" She frowned.

I rolled my eyes. "I fell down when I tried to act like the Wonder Woman I am not." I tried to smile though I was still with a lump in my throat.

"I'm sorry," She pouted. "And now Edward is angry with you…"

"Don't worry about that, you don't have anything to do with that. Just rest, alright? You had a tough night, but I'm so proud of you, that you slapped him and did what you feel. You are really brave Alice." I smiled at her. That wasn't something easy to do. I was sure about that. It's not easy to say no when you think the other one that you like is thinking of a yes. And it was nice to know that she could do it, it was really good.

"I know, I know," She smiled back. "Yes, I think I'm going to sleep now, I'm pretty tired." She yawned and closed her eyes.

I kissed her forehead and slowly went out of her room; turning off the light as I walked passed it.

Edward was still in the floor with the same pose as the last time I saw him. He looked up his face and his eyes seemed red as if he had been crying. Silently I walked to his spot and sat beside him. He didn't look at me; he was staring at the front.

"She's asleep now," I needed to say something, the silence was killing me.

"I know, I heard her." He said coldly and rested his head in the wall. "I'm gonna kill him, I swear to _God_ that tomorrow I'll go and kill him." He growled and ground his teeth. For a fraction of a second I actually was scared of Edward.

"Don't say that, it won't do anything good."

"Please don't tell me what to do, not you." He growled one more time and closed his eyes.

My heart cracked a bit more with his words, his tough words. "I'm sorry, please… forgive me. I didn't know what to do, I just—I'm sor---" But another moan came off my system. The bleeding in my hand was starting again and I was starting to feel actually dizzy.

He took my hand in his in a second, his eyes worried now. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

Scared flash through my eyes. "Not the hospital, please." I whined.

"Okay," He breathed. "Just let me take my dad's things and I'll try to clean it here." He stood up with that, his hand still grabbing mine.

We went to the kitchen, the lightest place. He sat me in a chair and placed my hand on the table. He suddenly seemed so serious, so focused, that he reminded me of his father.

He took some transparent liquid with a lint. "This might sting a bit; I'll try to do it as soft as possible." He reassured me with his eyes.

I nodded fast and closed my eyes. "Ouch!" I complained when the icy cold, hideous liquid touched the graze.

"Sorry," He sighed, his hand suddenly stroking mine. For some seconds everything became too quite, I only could feel his thumb stroking my palm. For some reason my heart started to beat faster than necessary.

Automatically I turned my eyes to his, just to find out he was looking deeply into mine. Our eyes stayed connected in a too weird, too new way for a moment. A moment in which my heart beat even faster and my breathing accelerated.

Suddenly I felt a huge drop of that liquid in my graze that made me jump. "OUCH!"

He jumped too and looked down to my hand. "Shoot, I'm sorry!" He said huskily. He took the lint that he had in his other hand away from my own and started blow on it softly. "Better?"

I breathed. "Yes."

"I'm gonna put some more of it there, alright? Promise it will be just seconds." He explained as he took some more of that liquid on another lint.

"'Kay." This time he did it very softly, almost inexistent touches between the graze and the lint. And then he covered it with new lint.

"I really am sorry, you know? I know I don't have excuses, I just didn't know what to do, Edward," He breathed deeply and continued with his job. "Please, Edward, say you will forgive me, please." I pouted, trying to hide the sorrow this situation produced me.

He sighed deeply and stared at my eyes. "It's not that I don't forgive you because that goes against my own sake. It's only that I thought I could trust you; it hurt to find out that you were doing something like this behind my back. I could understand if anybody else did it, but _you_? You that are the only one who truly knows how I feel towards this situation, I don't know," he shook his head. "It just hurt." His voice showed the pain he was talking about and I just wanted to cry. I really needed to cry.

So I did. I started crying there, in front of him. Crying and crying. Lately I had been feeling that I had heard everyone cry and this time I needed to hear _me_. I needed someone to wipe my own tears away.

He suddenly took me in his arms and placed me in his lap. "I'm so sorry, please don't cry, Bella. I'm sorry, I'm an ass, don't cry, please." He pleaded a he placed my head on his shoulder.

I wanted to stop, to tell him it wasn't him. To tell him that I was the one that was sorry for crying in this time, that I should be supporting him now. But I couldn't. I really needed this, and I needed to smell his smell, and to feel those only arms that would always make me feel safe don't matter what.

"Please, don't cry Bell. Please don't," He kept begging. His own voice now faltering. "I can't see you crying because it makes me want to cry myself."

I shook my head in his shoulder. That was the only thing I could do right now, the words just wouldn't come.

"I'm an ass," He sighed, in an angry way.

"N-no, you are not! It's me; I haven't been feeling so way lately but I promise it isn't you." I said truthfully. Maybe it _had_ to do with him, but the problem wasn't him, the problem was me.

He looked deeply into my eyes. "You want to talk about it?"

And again my stupid heart beat faster than necessary. "Not really, I think we have to discuss first Alice's issue." I mumbled. I didn't really want to talk about Alice issue either, because I knew the madness towards me would come again even if he didn't want to. But I also knew he needed to talk about it.

He sighed deeply. "What do you want to talk about?"

Then I remembered and I unconsciously frowned. "First of all, how did you find us? And _why_ did you come?"

He shrugged. "Call it instinct… I really don't know. But I guess I was scared that something wrong could have happened to you, you seemed really upset. So I decided to follow you. I sounded like a stalker, didn't I?" He chuckled.

"You are, E," I smiled back. The smile would appear alone as I saw everything between us turning to normality. With our craziness and all, of course.

"Was she too upset when you found her?" He muttered. His voice showed the same pain that in his eyes appeared.

I bit my lip. "She was, yes. But she was also relieved that I was there."

He shook his head in an angry way. "I'll kill him tomorrow, I promise you that. I swear that." He growled and punched the table hard with his fist.

I jumped in his lap and took his face with both of my hands so my message could go across better. "Edward, stop. STOP! This won't do any good, Edward. It won't change things. That's why she didn't call you in first place, because she didn't want this to happen!"

His eyes were showing me all the furiousness he felt towards the situation. I really had never seen him like this, so angry. But then he dropped his eyes to the floor, suddenly showing a deep sorrow in them – an _old_, deep sorrow.

"It's just that--- I can't believe she thinks that, I can't believe she feels no one could ever fall in love with her. It just kills me." He almost choked at the end.

I instantly wrapped my arms over his shoulders. "She will find her love, that's something that we all think I guess, but… of course she'll find him, she's amazing." I reassured him.

"I know," He smiled half heartedly. "I sometimes think why her and not me. You know? She didn't deserve it…"

"And what? You would?" I shrieked as I stared deeply into his eyes. "No one deserved it, Edward. No one. You can't be always blaming yourself for something that wasn't you fault, it was nobody's fault. Bad things happen, but that's just life. We have to learn to live with those things and try to live it the best way possible, you know?"

He nodded once. "I know, but it's hard. Life it's just too hard."

"I know it is," I pouted. "But we also have nice things, you know? Like friendship." I smiled at him, realizing how true my words were. Friendship was one of the best things in life.

He sighed in a teasing way. "Yeah, considering the friends I have to endure I really don't know…"

I punched his arm. "Shut up, you love me." I grinned in a smug way.

"Hell I do!" He chuckled back. And for a millisecond that same weird feeling in the pit of my stomach surrounded me again. The quietness appeared in the room again. I was still in his lap, my head now resting in his shoulder again. But I was comfortable. I felt protected this way. I felt good. I felt _loved_.

"It's anybody else?" He whispered to my ear in some moment, bringing me back to reality.

"Huh?"

He breathed deeply, so close to my ear that it produced tickles to every portion of my body. "You really never answered Alice's question; you said Jasper wasn't the one that would love you till the end of days, but you never said if you had found him. Have you?"

Irrationally I sat up and looked into his eyes. And just stayed frozen.

But there the door opened, and a noisy Emmett appeared in some seconds in the kitchen, followed by Carlisle and Esme.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Emmett said with suspicious eyes. I jumped to my feet in that second, a fire suddenly burning my cheeks.

Edward cleared his throat. "Nothing," he said in that second and took the frasco of the transparent liquid in his hands. "Bella cut herself with a knife," He lied. But I don't think Emmett was referring to that and I don't think Edward thought that either.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Esme came to my side and took me in a hug.

"Yes, Esme. I'm fine, Edward already took care of it." I grinned.

"Do you want me to check it?" Carlisle offered, coming to my side too.

"Nah, it's fine, really." I tried to sound as casual as possible. The truth was that if he saw the graze he would probable know it wasn't a knife cut. And that would lead to other things.

"Is Alice home, yet?" Esme asked, her voice suspicious. I guess some kind of mother instinct told her something wasn't right.

I let Edward talk, not wanting to screw up anything else. I had done that part perfectly tonight.

"Yes," Edward muttered, I could sense him trying to hide the angriness. "She's already asleep."

"Anything juicy?" Emmett asked, thrilled. We all glared at him. "What? Jeez, you are boring." He complained and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sorry," Edward rolled his eyes at his brother.

"So did she spend a nice time?" Esme asked, a grin started to play with her lips.

Edward tensed in the chair, his features suddenly rigid. "I don't know, ask her tomorrow." He said coldly.

"Alright, I will." Esme said with a frown, the mother instinct in her voice again.

"So I should go, Charlie must be waiting for me." I really wanted to get out of there, too many questions.

"Umm, Bella… Where's your truck?" _Of course_. Of course Emmett needed to ask that.

Edward and I stared at each other with scared faces for a fraction of a second and then he chuckled. _What?_ Had he lost it again?

"It's a funny story," Edward laughed. Alright, what did he have in mind?

"Cool! I love funny stories!" Emmett shouted, excited.

"Yep, but you know… it's really late and Charlie should be waiting Bella. I'll drive her home and tomorrow I tell you. 'Kay?" So what would he say tomorrow? Ha! Luckily I wouldn't be here.

Before anybody could say anything else he grabbed me from my elbow and took me outside the kitchen. I could only mouth a 'bye bye,' – luckily. With my record of how much I could screw up something with my big mouth; this was surely the best thing that could have happened to me.

The way home was quite, but this time it was relaxing too. As if we were too tired of all the drama we had today and we needed to rest. The soft music was making its thing so was the rain.

"So tomorrow is the big date, huh?" Edward chuckled when we were already close to reaching my house.

I gulped. I had forgotten about it again, as if my brain wanted to suppress it completely. "We do…"

"It's gonna be a bit weird, don't you think?" He frowned. Hell it was.

"Yeah, I mean… it's not like we don't know each other, anyway." I shrugged, trying to hide how desperate this date really had me.

"If you say so," He shrugged back. And then a weird quietness came in the way again.

"Do you really think that I come between Jasper and you?"

"What were you gonna ask me before Alice called?"

We both asked at the same time, already reaching the block of my house. We were going to talk again when suddenly something outside the car took our attention. Our eyes posed in a black thing parked in the beginning of the block.

"Is that…?" He frowned, sharpening his sight to the dark place. "What the _hell_ does Black think he is doing here?" He growled and with that he stormed out of the car.


	25. Chapter 23

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 23 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. I hope you like this chapter is pretty emotive. PLEASE COMMENT BACK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!**_

**Chapter 23**

It took me some seconds to react. For a moment I stayed completely frozen, completely shocked. My hands started sweating and my legs shook violently. I thought my time had finally come, I thought my friend the heart attack would have finally had what it wanted – but then I reacted.

With a strength I didn't think I had in me, I went out of the car. My eyes completely focused on the furious golden hair boy that was walking and the smirking dark hair one that was waiting for him with his arms crossed over his chest in a superior way.

I gulped as I tried to run through the rain, trying to follow Edward's un-following pace. The rain was completely wetting me now, coming in a really strong way. But I didn't care. The only thing I was focused on was on stopping the fight that was imminently coming and, if I really analyzed myself – finding out what the hell was Jacob doing here.

Edward was already reaching him, his steps surer with everyone he did. And mine, even clumsier.

"Edward!" I started to shout when he was almost there. "Edward, stop!" I was breathing hard; too much anxiety and exhaustion filled my body.

Edward wasn't listening, his fists now clenched at his sides. And Jacob's smirk; bigger.

"Please, Edward, stop!" I ordered to him now reaching his shoulder with one impossible movement of my feet.

He stopped abruptly and stared at me. "Why would I?! After all he has done to you!" He was shouting through the rain that was coming like a heavy curtain. There was so much noise that it was almost impossible to hear.

"Because this is something I have to do for myself, Edward. Please, just—I really have to fix this by myself, it's the only way." I was almost whispering at the end. But it didn't matter, because these words were only for me. I needed to know that it was me the one that could end this, that it was me the one that could tell him how much bad he had made to me. That _would_ tell him to get lost!

With that I started walking the little gap between Jacob and us. Edward following right behind, I could feel his impatient steps as the water splashed to everywhere.

Jacob was sill smirking, his eyes full of smugness. But I could feel some kind of insecurity in their depths, as if he knew that I had grown stronger.

"Aw, the lovely couple is fighting already?" Jacob said dramatizing a sweet voice.

I fumed at him and prayed to God that Edward could contain himself. "What are you doing here, Jacob?"

"I told you I'd meet you soon, had you forgotten already?" He walked closer to me. Now his shirtless body only inches from my shaky, cold, wet one.

"What do you want?" I shouted back, my hands mimicking with anxiety. Edward was behind me now, a hand in my waist.

"Aw, isn't Cullen a protective boyfriend?" He pouted.

"Shut up, Jacob. Or I swear---"

"Stop it, Edward! Just please stop it." I turned around and stared at him. His eyes angry and bitter. He stared back and splashed his arms at his sides in a defeated way.

"You never told _me_ to stop," Jacob arched an eyebrow, his voice full of implicit connotations.

But it was Edward who answered. "You are really looking for it, Black. You are begging it!"

I squeezed Edward's hand with annoyance; I couldn't do this if he was here. "Please, Edward… Please just leave."

He stared at my eyes in shock. "_What?"_

I heard Jacob laughing and murmuring something like, 'Looks like she wants _me_,'.

"I really need to do this, E. I really need to feel I did it by my own, promise to call you when I'm inside." I pleaded to his eyes, taking his hand firm with mine.

"But what if—what if…" He trailed off, his voice worried and sad. "I won't leave you alone with this ass*ole!"

I sighed. "Would you trust me, please? For once?"

His eyes were suddenly sweet. "I always trust you, I just don't trust _him_." He muttered looking at Jacob in a menacing way. Jacob laughed again.

I took his face in my hands and stared at his emerald green eyes. "Just trust me, this is something I already know in my inside, but I just want to see if I can actually take it out, alright? Just please let me fight my own battles, I really need this." I explained to him, my voice showing every emotion I was feeling right now.

He grabbed my waist with one hand and pulled me to his chest. He then nodded once, his head over mine, and kissed my hair. His lips rested longer than necessary in there and unconsciously I closed my eyes… Suddenly that same weird feeling in the pit of my stomach overcame me and then he was pulling away.

"Just be safe," He whispered to me. Then turned his eyes to Jacob – and they were scary. "I'm warning you, Black, touch her even a bit and I _swear_…" But with a growl he shook his head and stormed away.

"I always knew you preferred me," Jacob smiled that Jacob's smile at me, the one that had left me nights without sleeping and days without living.

I clenched my legs to the ground that had suddenly started to shake with violence again. "_Why_, Jacob? Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I want you back and I hate seeing you with Cullen." He growled.

I breathed deeply and stared at the floor, this was difficult. Difficult than I'd ever think it was. "Edward has always been here for me, you know? When you broke my heart, he was the one that fixed it. And no matter what, no matter when, I can always count on him…" I was almost whispering, but I knew he could hear me. I suddenly posed my eyes on him. Why did I drop my eyes, when it was him who had to be ashamed?! "Just, how do you think you even have the chance to come and ask for another chance, after everything you've done?!" I stared at him deeply in the eyes, a confidence inside my growing in impossible speed. I suddenly _needed_ to tell him so many things.

"I swear that wasn't me, I was drunk and---"

I laughed sarcastically, cutting him off. "Please, Jacob! I'm really not that stupid! It wasn't just one time, everybody was telling that to me but I just couldn't believe it. I was so blinded by you and your cute words. But words aren't enough! They don't mean anything if you don't act as you say!"

I was practically shouting right now. But I had so much inside, so many things I'd been keeping inside… But now I just couldn't do it anymore. I was stronger. Somehow Jacob had made me stronger, and that was something I had to thank him. No way was I going to do that, though. Psst.

He sighed. "I was childish and stupid there…. I've grown up now. I'm different, I've seriously changed."

My legs shook with violence and I felt the lump forming in my throat. "Still with the nice words… if I can give you credit for something it's for talking. _Bravo_!"

He smiled back. "Always with clever answers my Bells. I've missed that."

_MY_ Bells?! Give me a break here, please!

"Oh, Jacob, trust me on this one, I'm really not your Bells." I thought for some seconds. "In fact I'm really no ones' Bells. And that's the good thing… Since you leave, I'm me." I grinned a bit, that was something I'd never though before now. But I loved being just me… it was good – actually, it was _awesome_.

"Don't you want me?" His eyes suddenly burned me, his face now only inches from my own.

I breathed deeply and it took all of my strength to stay standing. But I needed this, oh hell, I needed to do it. "Yes, I do. I do want you..." He grinned his special grin and with a tough movement wrapped his arms in my torso.

Suddenly with a hand that wasn't my own I reached his face and slapped him hard in his left cheekbone. His arms suddenly released me and with surprised eyes, he put a hand on the punched part.

"I want you far away! Just don't play with me, Jacob. I don't want you, alright? You've hurt me, and disrespected me, and done anything that made me sad! I DON'T WANT YOU; I DON'T NEED YOU, JUST GET LOST FROM MY LIFE FOR NOW AND FOR GOOD!"

And with that I left a puppy Jacob beside me and ran to my house. Not even looking back _once_, I entered slowly and closed the door.

But there I smiled, and then I grinned, and then I laughed. And laughed, and laughed…

I was happy. I had done it myself! I had told Jacob everything that I felt and had the strength to tell him to get lost. I HAD DONE! And then I remembered…

And I started jumping. "I've punched Jacob's cute cheek, I have punched him!" I danced around the kitchen, laughing and giggling, and jumping up and down. "Who is laughing, now? HUH? Who is laughing and who is crying now, HUH? Who---"

But a voice from upstairs cut my little – bad new song. "Bell, is that you?" My dad called, his voice surprised.

I put one hand on my mouth and laughed a bit more. "Yes, dad, it's me. Sorry for waking you up! Go sleep!" I cheered, still smiling.

"Okay?" He said with suspicious. "Go to bed, it's late."

"Will do!" And with that I heard the door of his room shut again.

I ran through the stairs and into my bathroom. After taking a glance at myself in the mirror with proud eyes, I took a hot shower. I was still cold for my wet clothes and I needed this relaxing time for myself. I let the water run through my body, caressing me sweetly.

I ran to my room then, still to thrill with the adrenaline of what happened. I put my Oasis sweat and took my cell phone. The beep sounded only once and then someone answered.

"_Bell! Are you alright?"_ My best friend breathed.

I grinned, remembering the scene. "I'm more than alright, I feel happy!"

"_You what?"_ I could feel his surprise from the other side of the line. "_Sure you are alright?"_

"Yes, Edward! I told him everything I felt and I told him to get lost now and for forever and then I slapped him---"

_"Wa-wa-wait! You did WHAT_?"

I grinned smugly. "I slapped him,"

He chuckled. "_You seriously slapped Jacob?"_

"No, Edward, I thought it was Jacob but it really was an old lady walking through the street. Yeah, I slapped Jacob!" I rolled my eyes but the grin would just appear alone.

"_You rock_," He said, his voice amazed.

"I know," I laughed.

_"I'm proud of you, Bell."_

I smiled. "Thanks, I really couldn't have done it without you…"

"_You did it without me_!" He chuckled.

I laughed back and splashed in my bed. My eyes posed in the ceiling. "Yes, but you were there no matter what. I mean you gave me strength, you always do…"

"_You are strong, never doubt that_." He sighed and then we stayed quite. "_Thank you_," He suddenly said, his voice almost in a whisper.

I frowned unconsciously. "For what?"

"_For today, I know I was upset but… I was also really relieved when I saw how much you really cared about her. You know? Thank you_."

I smiled. "How can you be so nice?! I lied to you and nevertheless you are here, thanking me!"

"_You always knew I was crazy_," He chuckled. And then his voice went serious again. "_You wanna talk about Jacob? Wanna tell me how it was?_"

I gulped. "Not really, I'm still kind of… shocked, I guess."

"_'Kay, whenever you are ready…"_ He sighed and the quietness invaded us again.

I wondered then, with no conscious reason. "Hey, E?"

"_Yeah_?"

"Where do you think you'll be in ten years from now?"

He sighed loudly, and somehow he went nervous. "_I-I don't know, but I hope somewhere near you_."

I smiled, and suddenly that same weird feeling in my stomach came again. Ugh, I hated my stomach! But I somehow liked that feeling…

"_Yeah, me too_." And with that a big yawned came through my mouth. I was suddenly really exhausted.

"_Bell_—"

"I'm gonna go sleep," I said at the same time and cut him off. "But what did you want to tell me?"

He breathed deeply. "Nothing, just… sleep well." His voice didn't seem like he was going to tell me 'nothing'. But I didn't want to push, even though the intrigued was killing me. "_Alright, I guess I see you tomorrow night in the big date_," He sighed and I could feel him rolling his deep, emerald green eyes.

I almost choked again. "See you there, hate you…"

_"I love you_." He whispered back and then the phone went dead.

The next day I woke up over-excited. I knew it was still really early in the morning when I saw the sun too low in the sky… but I couldn't sleep anymore. And a smile flashed through my face as I noticed that there was no rain today, no clouds either.

Charlie was still here, I could hear his low steps as he would always do to not wake me up. But I wanted to be with him a little bit, to tell him about Dartmouth. That would put him in a good mood!

With that thought wandering inside my head I jumped off the bed and ran down stairs. He was still with the coffee in one hand and the paper in the other one. His eyebrows arched as he saw my bewildered face.

"Isn't it a bit early?" He said suspiciously, giving me a nice grin.

"Yep, it is, but I couldn't sleep anymore," I almost shouted as I went to sit in a chair in front of him.

"Is everything alright?" He said again, his eyebrow even more arched.

I sighed, content. "More than alright, everything is awesome, dad! Yesterday I received a letter from Dartmouth and though I know I can't go because I can't afford it; I can't believe I have been accepted---"

"Wa-wa-wait!" He stopped me, a smile suddenly flashing through his wrinkled lips. "YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO DARTMOUTH?"

"Yep," I said proud of myself. He jumped to his feet in that second and took me in a big hug. "Dad, I—can't—breathe—" I gasped. He released me with shaky hands.

"I can't believe it, Bell! That is so great, I'm proud of you, little girl." He cheered. I could see something blurring his eyes.

"Dad, you are not going to cry, aren't you?" I pleaded, blushing violently only for the thought.

He laughed. "Promise I'll try to contain myself," He sighed and took me again in another big hug, this time softer. "I'm really proud of you, really."

I smiled. That was a nice thing to know. I think I'd never get tired of hearing that Charlie was proud of me. That made me feel really good. "Thanks dad," And then I remembered. "But you know I can't go, right? I don't have the money and---"

He released me from his hug and stared to my eyes intently. "What are you talking about? You have that money,"

"Umm, no, dad. I'm pretty sure I don't. And if you are thinking that you can give it to me yourself, you are out of mind. There is no way I could ever accept that—"

But he left. Yep, he turned around and stormed through the stairs and to his room. I stayed staring to the same spot that now was with no one and thought that now it was his turn to turn insane.

"Dad?" I called once, a frown pasted in my forehead. But no one answered. I sat down again with my arms crossed over my chest, thinking of a possible explanation for his reaction. Maybe I had disrespected him in some way I didn't know…. But I was pretty sure that I hadn't said anything bad.

Suddenly I could see him again, his legs going faster than his body through the stairs. His face had a weird happy and yet sad smile. Unconsciously I stood up, the same frown decorating my face… now even stronger.

"What is it dad?" I tried to scrutinize his expression. He suddenly showed me a little envelope that he had in his right hand and gave it to me – his hands shaking.

"This is for you, please read it and then, if you want… we can talk about it." He said with that same sad tone and after giving me a sweet pat in my shoulders, he went and grabbed his gun and all his equipment. He gave one more look at my surprised face and then went out of the house.

I stared to the paper with the same blank expression in my eyes. I was truly lost. With a slow movement I started examining the envelope… it had some yellow parts, as if it was old. I turned it around and there was something written on it, something that made the old hole in my chest, jump.

With shaky legs I went to the chair and sat there. My hands too nervous to open the envelope, I could only read what it said outside again and again.

_**To my beloved daughter, from her crazy mother.**_

I smiled as a tear came down my face. What was this?

With the same shaky hands I slowly opened the old envelope, careful that I wouldn't rip anything with my clumsy fingers. I took a deep breathe and started reading the letter, making my best not to wet her perfect handwriting with my shed tears.

_My sweet little girl… Is a young woman now. Oh, you are already eighteen! You are probably wondering right now why you received a letter from me now that I'm long gone… it is because I couldn't leave you alone in this moment. Because you have always been the most important thing to me. A true blessing from heaven. Though I'm sure Charlie is following every step you do and trying his best to understand this teenager with his heart. I'm sure he is doing a good job; he has always been a great dad. It doesn't matter what happened between us, he has always loved you more than anything._

How big you should be right now! I can't even picture you so grown up, you must still be blushing as you did when you were a little girl, well… as you are now, now that I'm writing this letter. I've decided to give this to you, it is not much but it is something you can do to go to the place you want… I've always wanted you to study in Dartmouth baby, but that is my dream. You don't have to do it if you don't want to, I only want you to be happy my little girl.

I want you to let you know how proud I've always been of you and how much good you've given to my life! You are the only thing I could have never lived without.  
My baby… you have my same smile, you know? And you have your father's eyes, the prettiest eyes I've ever seen. But, shh! Don't tell him, please!

My sweet Isabella, you should know this. You should know that you can achieve whatever you want; dreams can come true if you try hard enough. And if you fall, never surround, stand up again and try one more time. If someone tells you they never fall, that is because they never live. Don't be afraid of living, my doll.

Are you in love? Do you have a boyfriend? Maybe you don't, but don't worry… I've always thought you were special in that way. You are only going to fall in love with the right one, with that one that would love you forever and ever. And he will truly love you, my baby, I can feel that. But don't give up if you haven't find it yet; you'll have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince... But love, true love really exists, and is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you. But if you feel you have found it, don't fight it… Enjoy it, my girl, enjoy it with all the will of you heart!

Always be true to yourself, Isabella... And overall, be happy!

Don't be sad for me, the only thing I wished in this life was to have a daughter like you, and I had it. That is more than I could have ever asked for. I love you today and always, I'll always be there for you, taking care of you from beyond. I love you my little girl.

Yours truly,

Mommy.

With the final lines I cried so strongly that I thought I would faint. I put the letter in my chest and just cried and cried until I didn't have more tears to shed.

With a half hearted smile I took the other little paper from the envelope, it was the number of a bank account. And for what it said it would be enough for paying all my studies and even for more. I WAS GOING TO DARTMOUTH!

She had done it again, made me so happy… She had managed to be with me now even if she physically wasn't. And I couldn't be more thankful.

"I love you too mom, today and always." I whispered to the letter as I put it inside the envelope carefully.

And then I smiled at her sweet letter, "_you'll have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince._.." Would I? How many?

But there was one part that continued wandering in my head, "_But if you feel you have found it, don't fight it… Enjoy it, my girl, enjoy it with all the will of you heart!"_

I spent the rest of the day thoughtful, the letter flashing behind my eyes almost at every minute. I made everything too slowly, quite. I needed a bit of serenity and time for myself. There had been seriously a lot of things going on inside me lately… some stronger than other ones. But all important.

A text message from Angela made me jump from my bed as I was listening to _Claire de lune_.

'_Bella, next Monday is my birthday, as you already know – I hope that you do! :)  
I'm having a party at my house, and of course I've already invited Jasper ;) and I think Rosalie it's coming too! Lol! Well, just wanted to let you that know, talk to you later!_

Angela.'

I splashed my arms at my sides in defeat, another thing to be nervous about! Angela's birthday parties had this thing that something weird would always happen… And I so didn't need that right now!

But it was already time for me to get ready, and I so didn't want to be late and be the center of attention. Groaningly I had a quick shower and took one of the outfits Alice had made me try for my first date with Jasper but decided I looked better in another one.

Blue would do, it always did.

I went inside my car after standing in the street for a minute and smelling the nice warmth of summer. That gave me a big grin as I turned on the engine and drove to Marcus' Pizza were I would find my interesting triple date.

I got out of the car with nervous legs, my heart already beating faster than usual. I walked to the middle of the parking lot and waited there for some seconds.

I heard three cars parking almost at the same time; I looked to the left and saw the two Hales already walking out of the car and to me. Then I turned right and saw the two Cullens walking to my spot too, I looked at my front and saw JessicASS with the biggest smug smile and also walking to where I was.

I gulped heavily; this would be a long, l_ong_ night.


	26. SORRY Read chap bellow, is the correct 1

SORRY! I uploaded the wrong chapter :S I changed it now, it's long and hmmmm… you see for yourself ;) Thanks for reading and sorry for the confusion. Oh, please comment back guys! Emma! 


	27. Chapter 24

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 24 - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. It's a long chapter so maybe I deserve some comments :P**_

_**Enjoy, people!**_

**Chapter 24**

We were already sitting in a corner of the place, trying to avoid the strong light of cheap illumination that would only make this a little more uncomfortable. Though the table was big, it seemed too small. I felt almost suffocated in this place.

The red and white checked tablecloth went pretty well with the plant in the middle of it as decoration, the woody chairs and the quiet Italian music sounding from the speakers. If it wouldn't be for the reason I was here tonight, I would have said that Marcus' Pizza was one of my favorite restaurants – not that I knew too many, either. But it had this combination… it was cheap but at the same time it was really well achieved, I could almost feel in Rome right now… or in Volterra.

The table was rounded, so we could practically see each other perfectly. _Great_. I had Jasper at my left and Rosalie at my right. Then beside Rosalie Emmett was sat, then Edward that was also almost in front of me and then JessicASS.

By the way, did I mention her red dress almost covered _only_ her private parts? And I guess she did that for the only reason that if not she would go in jail, I'm sure if it was up to her, she would have come exactly as her mother brought her to this world. Rosalie was really pretty, as usual. She had a simple, golden dress that went perfectly with her goddess blond hair.

Everyone's faces were odd. As if we were out of place. Well – at least Edward and I looked like that. He was tense but in an unusual way. As if his senses were sharper than ever, as if he was completely aware of everything going on around him.

"So, let's order?" Emmett said when everyone was just too quiet. We all nodded in unison, but we were still too uncomfortable to start a conversation.

I really wasn't hungry; my stomach was shut for the nervousness I felt. But I didn't want to sound like a whining little girl or an 'Oh, there is nothing diet here,' teenage girl. So I bit my tongue and looked for a simple pizza on the menu – a margarita.

The waitress came to our table some minutes later and started to ask which our orders were. Almost all of us kept it simple, a pizza and a soda. I said almost, because JessicASS was as complicated with food as I thought she would be.

"Umm, I'd like… umm," She had been like that for almost five minutes now. We were all staring at her with annoyed faces, and the waitress was about to eat her in one bite.

"Jess, can you decide already? She's waiting…" Edward intervened. I could sense that tone in his, the one that seemed relaxed but was truly hiding the impatience and annoyance he really felt.

Jessica glared at him. "Well, Edward, I really don't want to get all fat for just one night, alright? Summer isn't finished yet, and I still need to take care of my body." Then she got closed to his ear, but the tone of her voice seemed too loud to be a whisper. "Besides, I think you'd prefer my body as this and not all fatty like others, or wouldn't you?" I swear she glared at me at the end, as if the 'all fatty like others' was _me_.

Edward widened his eyes and turned red. His eyes suddenly posed in the table as if he were ashamed. And I suddenly felt this huge necessity to punch her hard in the face. To destroy that perfect nose she had. There was this feeling that was coming from no reasonable place, this completely animal instinct that overpowered my body all of a sudden. Wow, I guess I was a little bit violent these days… Considering the fact that yesterday I punched Jacob. But this was different, I couldn't really identify the motor behind my angriness, but it was definitely not the same of Jacob's.

I took a deep breath and clenched my fists to dissipate the rage. But it was still too much.

"Can you please decide, Jessicas—a? PLEASE? It's not like you are deciding your wedding dress or anything, it's just food!" I snapped. Everyone stared at me with confused eyes, Jasper's ones were a bit skeptical too. I thought I saw Edward's lips turning into a smile, but I couldn't really say – I was still too shocked for my own reaction.

And JessicASS? – Well, she could have fried my brain with the look she was giving me.

"Well, Bella, don't worry, I already know how my dress is going to be, right baby?" She intertwined her fingers in Edward's hair in a possessive way. And my stomach felt sick.

"Umm, please, Jessica. If you aren't going to order I'll just tell her to leave, she's _waiting_." Edward mumbled back. He seemed uncomfortable, his lips in a thin line.

"Do you have lettuce, for any chance?" She shrieked to the waitress with a petulant voice.

The waitress almost glared at her. "Yes, we have lettuce."

"Good, I want that." She grinned in the same petulant way and rolled her eyes. The waitress stared at her in disbelief for some seconds, and then walked inside the kitchen, her head shaking from side to side.

Jasper's hand suddenly took mine beyond the table, and started rubbing its back. I blushed just for the single act of his hand in mine… and everyone so close. I stared at his eyes and he was staring back, his look playful.

"So, Bella," Rosalie suddenly said, making me give a little jump in response.

"Mhm?" I shook my hands off Jasper's and again the color invaded my system. I heard Jasper sigh at my side.

"I was wondering how you met my brother because you're in every one of our conversations for some thing or the other, but I can't ever make him talk about you two." She giggled and arched an eyebrow as expecting an answer.

Of course I blushed again, I blushed more than a tomato would if it was summer and he would have been in the beach almost all the day. I blushed _way_ more than that.

But it was Jasper who answered. "Rosalie!" He mumbled to her with a nervous voice.

"What, bro? Just keeping it real," She grinned back.

I heard Edward snorting and we all turned our heads to him. "What?" Rosalie frowned.

He looked lost for a second and then he composed. "Umm, nothing, nothing… I was just remembering how they met. Well, they had already met before, but Jasper never really looked at her because he was too busy with Lauren or some girl. Right?" Edward turned his eyes to Jasper, and there was something in their depths… some kind of suppressed angriness that was starting to reach the top.

For a second I stayed frozen listening to Edward's last reply in my head again, and again. But it wasn't the thing about Jasper that mattered the most, it wasn't the fact that he was with another girl before me – or a lot more. It was the fact that Edward was bringing it now. Bringing it when it truly wasn't necessary, as if he was trying to make clear some invisible point only he knew.

I broke free of my trance when Jasper talked – well, sort of growled. "Yes, but it was before I knew her… I don't want to be with any other girl right now." He finished softly and smiled at me.

I heard Edward snorting again and then muttering something like 'Whatever,'. Where was this childish behavior coming from?

"So," Rosalie said again, her tone more impatient. "How was it?"  
Emmett was just too close to her, too dazed to say anything. That was something new; Emmett _quiet_?

I took a deep breath. "We were in this bonfire with Edward, and then we were sitting in a log with Edward, and then Jasper came to talk to Edward and I. And then Edward went to look for Jessicas---a, and Jasper stayed with me, and well… we started talking and all." I breathed again, all the air had been out with my long, almost without sense, previous statement.

Rosalie made a face. "Seems like Edward was the shiny star, huh?"

But before anyone could say anything else, the waitress was bringing our order. I didn't know what was going through everybody's mind, but in my case – I was relieved dinner came. Because Rosalie's last comment let me frozen.

We ate almost in quiet again, just some comments from here, some replies from there…

Emmett was still too dazed by Rosalie's presence. He was grinning from ear to ear, as close as he could be to her and the way he ate was like one of a gentleman. Sure not how Emmett would have eaten in any other case. Also his clothes; he had a black shirt that gave him this air of graciousness. It was nice to see Emmett like this, so determined to have Rosalie's attention – but he was doing it in the good way. I could see Rosalie trying to 'not making it easy for him,' as Alice once told me. Her posture was rigid, but there was this smile playing with her lips the whole time, that just gave her away.

I finished my second slice of pizza and lifted my eyes to see the others. Jessica was so funny looking at our yummy pizzas with eyes full of desire and then looking to her poor lettuce with disgust. HA! That's what you get for being a b*tch. Then there was Jasper, at my side, he was closer from me than necessary. And there was something weird in his posture, as if he wanted to show some possession… like I was his?

Edward seemed so thoughtful as he ate his favorite pizza; pizza with pepperoni. I stared at him puzzled, because his expression didn't show the childish face he always had when he was eating it. He was almost grimacing… a painful smile was sculpted in his lips.

Jasper's hand in my leg made me turn my eyes to him; he was staring back with that same possessive look in his eyes. I tried to smile, but I didn't feel comfortable so close to him in here. It didn't seem like he was caressing me, it seemed as if he wanted to prove something.

"I've missed you," he whispered in my ear. "I'm praying that they want to go to somewhere so we can have some time alone." His hand was still in my thigh, making a pattern of circles over my blue dress.

I gulped nervously. The time when he kissed me and it wasn't his lips I felt, appeared strongly behind my eyes. "Well, Jasper… this is a triple date. We are supposed to hang out all together." I tried to say as composed as possible, and casually I took the hand that was still in my dress in mine.

He bended down to my ear again. "I know, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be alone with you." He kissed my cheek lightly. "By the way, you look beautiful. But can I tell you something?"

I frowned, but nodded anyway.

"I think green suits you better." He grinned and pecked my cheek one more time.

"Really?" I gave a glance to my dress. "I really prefer blue, you know? I really think it goes much better with my skin and my eyes…" But this wasn't my words the ones I was stating. I remembered well the time Edward told me this same speech some years ago in a school dance. I had a beautiful blue dress. We were dancing and in some moment he bended down to reach my ear and told me that blue looked beautiful in me; because it went perfectly with my skin and my brown eyes. I smiled unconsciously as I remembered.

Edward chuckled. Our eyes were suddenly in him. "What?" Emmett asked.

"Nothing, nothing," He shook his head. "Just---nothing,"

With that we kept on eating. Well- I was still chewing my third slice and my stomach was now also twisting with nervousness for what Jasper told me before.

Jasper was already done with his pizza, he was fast. His elbows were now resting in the table. I looked up to his eyes and realized they were posed on my cleavage, in an unconscious way. When I was about to clear my throat so he would notice, Edward's voice sounded, skeptically.

"What are you looking at?" All our eyes were automatically posed in him. He was frowning, his features rigid.

"Excuse me?" Jasper said to him, with not a nice face, when Edward wouldn't stop staring at him.

He suddenly went out of his strange trance. "Umm, nothing, I was talking to that little boy over there," He pointed to a _baby_ that wouldn't be more than five months old and repeated, "What are you looking at?"

We all stared at him in disbelief. I guess he was more loco than I'd thought.

After that everyone seemed more relaxed. Maybe the pizza had made its thing and we felt more comfortable. We sure felt fuller.

JessicASS was now almost in Edward's place, her arms all over his shoulders, her mouth too close from his own. And that weird sickness in my stomach appeared again. My eyes instantly looked away, finding anything but them.

And Jasper's hand found my leg once again, but this time I let him. I didn't care; I was just feeling too weird. As if I was here physically but not mentally…

But there was just one thing that caught my eye when I decided to peep at Edward and his hideous girlfriend – he had this same uncomfortable face that I was sure was resembling to my own. His eyes were partially closed, his features were tight and his mouth was in that thin line that was so common in him when something felt wrong.

My trail of thought was lost when I felt something soft in my chin. It took me only some seconds to realize that that soft feeling were Jasper's lips stroking my skin. I closed my eyes – but it wasn't for pleasure, it was because I didn't want to see what surrounded me. There was something inside me that wanted to do anything but look at this table. Was really the table I didn't want to look at right now?

Jasper's kisses went strongly as he was reaching the corner of my lips. I giggled, uncomfortable. And reflexively pulled away.

"_What?"_ He scowled, annoyed, as he stared deeply into my eyes. "Can't I kiss you?"

"Y-yes, you can…" I tried to sound as convincible as possible. And then without thinking it rationally, I turned my eyes to Edward. And what was he doing? Staring back, intently, his eyes dark.

"Great," He whispered in my ear. "Because I really want to kiss you." And with that, his eager fingers requested my mouth. Our lips had touched only some times, when we both jumped at the sound of a chair scraping with the floor, producing a shrieking sound.

"Excuse me," Edward hissed standing, and stormed into the bathroom that was some feet away.

Something tiny broke inside me. I didn't know what, I didn't why… but it did. Jasper sighed heavily at my side as I was too concentrated on looking to a blank spot and didn't turn my head to him to continue. I really couldn't continue. Because it didn't feel right. And because I was sure that if I'd have had more time like that… I'd have sure feel other lips again…

"What's wrong with him?" Rosalie asked Emmett.

"I really don't know, I've never seen him like this." Emmett shrugged. He posed his eyes in mine intently for some seconds, and then looked back at Rosalie with that same goofy smile.

"I guess I have to go look for him," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"He's in the men's room, you can't go in there." I snapped before even thinking it.

She glared at me one more time. "I can do whatever I want, whenever I want because he's my boyfriend!" She shrieked, her eyes filled with angriness. And again I had to breathe deeply so I wouldn't deform her too perfect face.

Emmett interrupted then. "Jessica, Bella is right… I mean he went to the bathroom, maybe the pepperoni was off and he is now---"

"Emmett!" Jessica cut him off, disgusted. "We got the picture."

"Sorry," Emmett mumbled and stared at Rosalie that was laughing at him sweetly, his own lips arching up in a bright smile with this.

The urge to go and see what was it with Edward was overpowering my senses completely. Because something inside me was telling me that it wasn't about the pepperoni. I somehow knew that it wasn't just a coincidence that it was the same time when he excused himself for going to the bathroom and when Jasper's lips where were they where. Just one question was filling all my brain, WHY?

When I thought I was going loca, Edward appeared again. His features more relaxed now, but it only seemed a mask – it didn't feel genuine.

"That bad, huh?" Emmett chuckled and stared at his little brother. "I won't ever eat pepperoni again."

Edward glared at him and sat in the chair, arms crossed over his chest in a defensive way. Jessica didn't delay in going to her previous posture, trying to have as much of Edward's body as possible. And that same rage blinded my brown eyes; I was almost fuming without reason at all.

"Angela sent a message to Jasper and I, yesterday," Rosalie said. "She invited us to her birthday party on Monday."

"Oh, you are going?" Emmett said excited. "I'm going too!"

"We are all going," Jessica rolled her eyes. "But I have my aunt's birthday the same day. So I guess I'll be first going to that one and then to Angela's one," She said as if she was so important to have more than one party in one day. LIKE ANYONE EVEN CARED!

Emmett sighed in a romantic way then. "So, you are a model," he grinned to Rosalie.

"Yes," She giggled back.

"So you do bathing suits advertising campaign or something?" He almost drooled over when he said this, his eyes sparkling.

Rosalie hit his arm in a teasing way. "Shut up, I'm not going to talk to you about that."

"Why not? I'd love to hear it," Emmett raised his eyebrows and finished the little gap between their lips.

Just then something flashed in the air and before I could even flicker, I saw Emmett's mouth pasted to the flowerpot of the plant that was resting in the middle of the table just seconds ago.

"Why did you do that?" Emmett mumbled through the flowerpot as we all started laughing. Well, JessicASS laughter was so faked that I don't know if I could call it laughter.

Rosalie put it down and stared to the front with a superior face. It was obvious she was enjoying herself though; the constant smile would say it itself. "Emmett Cullen, I'm a serious girl. You can't kiss me whenever you want." She teased.

Emmett whispered something in her ear. And then Rosalie grinned and nodded.

"We are gonna go for a walk," He said, too excited as he stood up and gave his hand to her. She took it and with that they walked to the exit, a loud guffaw escaping both thoraxes at the same time.

Why, WHY? The only people that actually talked were now nowhere near us. And the tension was just too glaring. We were completely mute and stiff as we stare at anywhere but each other's eyes.

"So, Bella," Jessica squealed. "Is your dad still alone?"

I glared at her, my eyes suddenly blurred – but this time with tears. She knew this was a touchy subject.

"Jessica," Edward muttered to her. "Don't."

"Why, Edward? I'm asking in a friendly way. Because I know he has been so lonely since… well, since so many years…" I just wanted to kill her. My eyes were almost full of water and tears were going to spill in any second. I felt Jasper's hand in my back.

Edward stared at her in disbelief. "Just _stop_, alright?" He almost yelled at her.

She glared back, her eyes suddenly really angry. So much that I thought she was going to punch him, or me. But instead she stood up loudly and entered the bathroom.

We stayed quiet then, too shocked to say anything. Besides, the lump was still in my throat and I was afraid of what would happen if I talked.

Suddenly a sound coming from Jasper's pocket broke that impossible, thick silence. Jasper took it with shaky hands and sighed when he stared to the screen.

"I'll be right back," He called as he stood from the chair and started walking towards the exit. "Hello, dad?" And with that he was lost through the door.

I was staring to the table, my system still perplexed. But anyway I could see a figure standing up and then walking slowly to my side.

"I'm sorry," He breathed as he sat beside me. I could feel his breathing close.

I shook my head, my eyes still in the table. "It's not you fault that your girlfriend as a complete b*tch."

He chuckled lightly. "I didn't know you thought that,"

"Would it make a difference if you knew?" My eyes irrationally turned to his.

"It would make a difference if I told you there is something in Jasper I don't like?" He arched an eyebrow.

I tried to shrug, but that same feeling in the pit of my stomach overcame me again. The stupid feeling I could only feel when he was just too close to me.

I stared at him for some seconds as he sighed and looked to the front. But this time I really stared at him, staring to the amazing little details his face held. For example the almost invisible brown mole he had in the corner of his upper lip. I had never noticed it before… Or the fact that his eyes had in the iris some grey spots that made its emerald green eyes unique. My eyes continued their way to his neck, where little moles gave him a sweet look in contrast to his well formed neck.

My eyes kept going down until they posed in his chest. This was the first time I was actually staring at his chest with these eyes. I stayed hypnotized as I realized how well his grey shirt hugged his Michelangelo's like muscles of-----

"Bell? BELL? You still with me?" My best friend shook me lightly making me lost in my pervert trail of thought that I was having towards _him?_ Yes, towards my best friend.

I blushed in a completely new range of red as I realized he knew where I was staring only seconds ago. "Umm, sorry, I was thinking…" I looked at the front, ashamed to look at him and see his disgusted eyes as I was sure he would have when he'd realize what I was looking at.

But instead he came closer and sighed. "You know, I don't agree with Jasper," I frowned; I had completely forgotten Jasper for some seconds. He shook his head and continued, "You look pretty in any color, but blue is the one that goes better with your skin and brown eyes." He chuckled. His eyes rounded as if to give me the hint that he remembered that I quoted his words before.

I laughed back and blushed a bit. "Yeah, one silly boy once told me that same thing, you know?"

"Oh, he did?" He continued the joke. "He must have been so clever,"

"Nah," I made a face. "He was so stupid, he still is, though." I laughed. And then his hands find my waist as he tickled me. But there wasn't the normal feeling that I common felt when someone tickled me… they were also tickles, what I felt, but not just those ones.

We stay quiet for some seconds when I remembered. An unconscious smile playing with my lips. "I didn't have the time to tell you something,"

His eyes suddenly sparkled and a smile played with his lips in that second. "What?"

"I'm going to Dartmouth!" I almost shouted. My voice sounded so loud that a couple in the table beside us stared at me with surprise. "Sorry," I mumbled back and grinned nervously.

Then my eyes found Edward one more time, just to wish they hadn't. Though his lips were curled up in a smile, I could see the deep sorrow in the depths of his eyes. "What? How?"

"Well, it might sound crazy but my mother gave me the money. Well, not my mother, of course. But Charlie had an envelope that I supposed she should have sent to him before she died. In that envelope, Charlie gave me this morning, there was this amazing letter… and then the number of a Bank account and some information that trust me, it said I could go to Dartmouth!" I grinned at him. "So I'm going, I'm going! Isn't it awesome?!"

The sorrow was now reaching the top. "Wow, Bell, yeah… that's… that's awesome, I'm so glad for you." He tried to cheer, but his voice was almost faltering. Before I could said anything like 'Tell that to your face,' he had took me in his arms and put me in his lap.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and without even thinking it; I placed my head in his shoulder, smelling this unique scent only his neck had… I closed my eyes as I let myself flow in this weird moment. His cheek was pressed to my own as his hand was stroking my back going up and then down, and then up again…

My stomach was almost dancing inside me; I could feel this feeling in the pit of my stomach stronger than ever. My heart was also doing its weird party beating really fast. And it increased even more as I felt his own heart pounding with violence.

For some reason my breathing was going faster than usual, and I could feel his thorax moving up and down faster too. For one completely strange and yet perfect second, I could only see him. As if the whole world had crumbled and there was just Edward and I in this too private moment for a restaurant.

I felt his lips in my hair…

And then someone clearing his throat made us both jumped abruptly. Startled and accelerated, I turned my eyes to where the sound was coming – just to see Jasper almost fuming.

In less than possible we both jumped to our feet, too nervous for some reason I maybe knew.

"What's going on here?" Jasper's tone was skeptical. His eyes going from Edward to me again and again.

Edward cleared his throat, but his voice came in a husky way nevertheless. "Umm, we were—"

"We were hugging because I just told him I was going to Dartmouth," My own voice came in a distorted way too.

Jasper's eyes widened. "Really? That's so good," He grinned and walked to me to give me a hug. "Congratulations, Bella." He took my face in his hands and kissed me in the lips. His hands grasping my hair in a possessive way. A way I didn't like.

Before I could even react I heard the sound of glass shattering close enough to make Jasper stop.

We both stared at Edward that was again too rigid. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. Beside his feet was a glass totally shattered. I mentally thanked him.

Jasper sighed heavily, his eyes now posed intently in Edward's. "Cullen if you have a problem----"

But JessicASS coming from the bathroom cut him off. Well, maybe her hideous voice was. "Is that Alec, over there?"

I gave a glance to where Jessica was pointing and then to Edward. Edward's features have given a 180º turned now as he stared with the same impossible angriness at Alec.

He was already exiting the place with two other boys, laughing as if nothing had happened. For some seconds I wanted to go myself to that spot and erase his grin with my fist.

Edward's sure steps to the exit made me get out of my thought. Oh no, no, no, _NO_!

In a rush I started walking myself, trying to reach him. But he was really fast, he was already outside. Suddenly the sentence he'd repeated so many times yesterday, resounded strongly in my brain, making me shudder. _'I swear I'll kill him.'_

With that I was almost running to the exit, making my best not to meet the floor with my shaky legs. I could feel two persons following right behind.

"Edward! Please STOP!" I shouted when I put a foot outside the place. Edward didn't turn to face me; he was now almost reaching Alec. And this time I wasn't fast enough to go and restrain him myself, and I frankly didn't have the physical strength. I ran nevertheless, making my best to reach the place as fast as possible.

I saw Alec turning around and staring at him with confusion. Some seconds later I guess it suddenly hit him, because his face showed scare. A lot of scare. And again I found myself wishing for a moment that he would get what he deserved.

"Stay away, Bella," I heard Jasper cautioning as he flashed through me and reached Edward's spot. Much faster than me. I could hear another person running behind me, and for her stupid shouts, I knew it was JessicASS.

"You son of a b*tch! How the hell did you think you could do that to my sister?!" Edward growled to Alec, pushing him with a fast movement. Alec seemed so little now and Edward so big. So strong.

Luckily Jasper reached the place on time to restrain Edward before anything else could happen, his arms were now in Edward's shoulders - forming a big lock around him. Edward was trying to pull away from it, his movements harsh.

"Easy, Edward, easy!" Jasper shouted at him, tightening the grip.

"Let off me, Jasper. Just—let off me!" Edward kept on growling.

Alec seemed completely frozen is his spot. As if suddenly he had forgotten he had legs that he could use to run away. But his two 'friends' didn't seem to forget though, they were already running. Leaving Alec alone.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't know what—"

"What you were doing?! You didn't know you were leaving her alone in the pouring rain? You didn't know you would have gone really far if she wouldn't have slapped you? You didn't know you were saying her she didn't worth anything? Huh? YOU DIDN'T?!"

I had already reached the spot, breathing hard for the excess of running. I was going to speak, to tell him to stop it, when Jasper talked first.

"He did that to your sister?" Jasper asked him, perplexed.

"Yeah," Edward growled.

"What a b*st*rd! Go ahead man, I didn't know that." Jasper released him. "I've got your back." He clenched his fists. WAS HE KIDDING ME?

"Thanks," Edward said to him, I could sense the truthfulness of his word. Edward's fist was already clenched too, his eyes programmed to kill.

"Oh my God, no!" Jessica suddenly shouted at my side. "PLEASE, NO! NO, NO! AH—"

"My God, Jessica! Could you please shut up?" I snapped at her, clenching my fists myself.

She glared at me with petulancy. "I'm out of here," and before anyone could say anything, she started running to her car. That b*tch! The only thing she was born for was to be annoying?! Argh, I detested her!

Edward shook his head in disbelief. But then he was as stiff as before. His eyes already murdering Alec, his fist already going up. And I was scared; not only for Alec, but for Edward. I knew he would regret everything tomorrow if he actually hit him. He had never been violent, though some present actions proved me wrong. But I knew he didn't really want to hit that boy.

So I stormed to his side and put my body between Alec's one and his one. With every second passing by I was even surer of what I was doing.

"What are you doing?!" Edward almost choked, putting his fist down. "I could have hit you!"

"But you didn't," I breathed and stared deeply into his eyes. "And you won't hit him, either. Because he's really not worth it!"

Edward eyes were still in that same mode, but now they were softer. "Please, Bella, step aside."

"I won't! Edward, you don't want to hit him! I know you don't, I know you!" I pleaded to him. Irrationally taking his face in my hands and staring deeply into those unbelievable emerald green eyes.

I could see Jasper's skeptical gaze at me. But I didn't care; I only wanted to get Edward away from there.

Edward closed his eyes. "But aren't you mad at him, with everything he's done to Alice? Don't you wanna kill him?"

"Well, I do! But I also know it won't do anything good. You are just going to show him what you hate." He stared at me with puzzled eyes.

I breathed deeply and went closer to him. "E, if you do this, you are going to show him all the violence he showed to Alice. You are going to do nothing else than that."

He shook his head, but somehow when he opened his eyes again, they weren't as sure as before. "I'm going to do justice,"

I shook my head. "No, real justice will be done when Alice finds that one that will love her just like she will, when she's happy. That's when real justice will be done. Not now."

I released his face and stepped aside, after all it was him the one who had to decide. He stared at the frightened boy for some seconds and then shaking his head and closing his eyes, he spoke almost as a weak whisper.

"Just go away, but don't you ever go somewhere near her because I promise I'll find you then." He growled at the end, his voice menacing.

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Jasper added and crossed his arms over his chest.

Alec gulped and nodded. "I won't. I'm really sorry." He almost choked.

"Just go," Edward sighed, defeated.

He nodded again and ran away, not before giving me a grateful look.

There we stayed the three of us, still too tensed for the heated situation.

"Hey, thanks," Edward muttered to Jasper when we were already walking to the restaurant once again. We were still too quiet.

Jasper shrugged. "Don't worry; I probably would have reacted in the same way if it was about my sister." With a sympathetic smile he went inside and started walking to our table.

Edward held the door for me catching my wrist when I passed through the door and bringing me closer to him.

"Hey, and… thank you, really. You couldn't know me better," he grinned and gave me a soft kiss on my cheek.


	28. Chapter 25 Part 1

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 25 (Part 1) - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the mistakes this might have. Sorry for the wait and enjoy!**_

**Chapter 25 (Part 1)**

The rest of the week passed by pretty quickly between arrangements, phone calls to banks and universities, and decisions.

When I called to Dartmouth to arrange everything they told me it was better to go at least one week before everything started so I could adjust better to the place and could meet more people. Charlie was first reluctant to the idea of letting me go and have a week less with me. But after some 'please, dad,'s and those puppy eyes I hated so much, he finally sighed and agreed.

Though now it was everything ready, and I had the money and my father's permission, there was something that felt wrong. There was something that made me wince every time I would think of going away. Of going away in a week.

I hadn't seen Jasper since last Tuesday, but we had kept in touch by text messages. But it wasn't the same. Since last Tuesday my relationship with Jasper had changed abruptly, it wasn't just him – it was also me. Well, it was particularly me. Since that weird date in that weird Tuesday's night… everything inside me had crumbled. My inside was going crazy for some hidden reason I didn't quite understand. But I knew that night something changed inside me…

It was already Sunday, I was stretching in my bed after a long sleep - I hadn't been able to sleep so well in the week with all the things going on in my head. In little time I should be in Central Club to see Edward's swimming competition. I blinked longer than necessary for some reason as I thought of this… And I had to put my hands around my chest to stop the irrational pain that made me gasp. I stayed like that for some minutes, unable to understand why I was feeling this, and then it faded away.

With shaky legs I went to have a shower and get ready, making my best to think about anything but that unbearable pain I felt. As always the warm water would relax my body… but not my heart, or my brain or everything inside me that was hinting that something felt wrong.

I chose my clothes with deliberation, something I didn't do too much. This cloudy day though, made me want me to care about fashion. But Jasper wasn't going today; he was in ceiling with his family. So why did I care so much about my clothes?

"Bella! We are gonna be late!" Charlie called from down stairs. I heard the heavy sigh that would always be there when I delayed longer than necessary. For some seconds I stopped the search of a nice shirt, and smiled… But this smile was not so happy; my mind started telling me how much I would miss Charlie's sighs and his nice way of dealing with a teenager daughter. The words of my mother's letter came to my head instantly; he was always making his best, he always had and always would. And I couldn't be more grateful for that.

"I'm coming dad, sorry!" I shouted back as I put a white shirt in a rush. White shirts would always match with blue jeans, I convinced myself as I flew down the stairs.

The Club was already crowded; people shouting from side to side and searching for a good spot to see the competition. The white and blue place was now decorated with lots of colored dots walking, talking, sitting or just wandering around with lost faces.

I could see JessicASS from my spot, her cheerleading suit shining as if it was all new for today. Her petulant features showing a depth she really didn't have. I scowled unconsciously as I stared at her. And then, Charlie's hand in my arm, made me come back to reality.

"Why that face?" Charlie frowned, next to me. His wrinkled eyes filled with such wisdom that I had to look away. It was as if he was trying to read my soul, or as if he had done it already and was waiting for me to realize something myself.

"Umm, nothing," I replied uncomfortable as my eyes scanned the place searching for something in particular.

The sound of my name made me look to the front. "Bella, here!" Alice cheered from some spots after ours, motioning me to go meet her. Her happy expression was once again in her face and I sighed in relief; at least she was still herself after Alec's incident.

Charlie was talking to Sue Clearwater that was sitting at his side. Since Charlie's friend Harry, died, he had looked after his wife. Though he would never admit me he felt something for her, I knew he did. I could feel it in the way he looked at her, in the way his eyes remained longer than necessary in her thick eyelashes. But I would never push him to do anything; he would have to figure it out for himself. He deserved it, though – I was sure of that.

"Gonna say hi to Alice, dad." Without waiting for a reply I stood up and made my best to dodge everyone and reach the place 100% of harmless.

Alice's family was there too, sitting next to her. I stared in awe for some seconds, just memorizing how perfect they all were, with their flaws and all. Just one person came to my mind that I found flawless, but he wasn't here now.

"Edward is already down there?" I asked Alice after greeting Emmett, Carlisle and Esme.

She nodded with a nervous face. "He is, and my stomach is starting to squeeze!"

I bit my lip. "Don't worry Alice, you know he is the best swimmer of all, he won't have a problem." I tried to convince myself too.

Emmett laughed at Alice's side. "The _best_ swimmer of all? I think you should be in the cheerleading team, Bella. Go, go, go Edward!" He sang with a girly voice.

I wanted to punch him but with Alice between us I couldn't reach his arm. So I just glared at him and made my best to not imagine me in that tiny suit and with that turn crimson red.

"I've missed you at home, Bella!" Alice pouted at my side and put her fragile arms around my own. "Edward told me about Dartmouth…"

The wincing overcame me then, but I made my best to hide it looking to the floor. "He did?" I tried not to choke.

"Yes, he did. And he was kind of… weird."

My eyes turned irrational to meet hers, my heart suddenly beating faster than necessary. "Weird? What do you mean with _weird_?"

Alice sighed at my side, she seemed to be trying to scrutinize my expression – maybe I wasn't that composed yet. "Well, he looked like he was kind of hurt, you know? It was really weird because every time I would ask him something about it, his expression would be so calm and composed. And then, when I'd look away and peeped at him… well, this strange pain would appear in his eyes, Bella. It was horrible to see." Her tone turned worried toward the end, and so did I.

I was sure there would be after-effects of the frowning I had right now, because I felt as if it was piercing my skin. Before I could even think it better or answer anything to Alice, the competition started.

The six competitors walked to the springboard assigned with uncertainty. The nervousness they felt could be sensed from our places. There was just one face that was even, completely composed. A bright smile flashed instantly through my face as I stared at my best friend's one. But just then, that irrational pain came again.

I put my hands to my chest as I did this morning, making my best to do it as subtle as possible. There was only seconds, seconds that I felt as if something was taking away my soul from me. But then it stopped and I slowly unclenched my tight fingers off my chest.

I looked at the pool again. Edward's eyes were scanning the place, his expression showed anxiety. I thought they were looking for his girlfriend, but when they kept on searching after finding her, I wasn't so sure.

Then his eyes found his family and he smiled. But something appeared in the depths of them for a second, as if something had let him down… Then they found me, and the joy illuminated his face making him look like a human angel.

The same smile that touched his lips in that second- touched mine. For a long that felt yet too short moment, we stared at each other faces' with this same look that seemed to be always in our eyes now. A look that was strange… but _so_ good.

Edward winked at me once and then the sound that announced the start shook the old speakers of the club. The swimmers seemed like rays of light flashing from one side to the other. The speed was so much, that it was difficult to distinct the exact place they were swimming through at each moment.

Everyone was already up their seats, their eyes expectant as they tried to guess who would win. The cheerleaders were making their cheerleading part, encouraging their competitor. I took Alice's hand with mine and squeezed it, my eyes utterly sharpened to try to catch as much of his performance as possible.

There was a complete silence for a second when the time was almost finishing. As if the concentration was too much to make a noise or a movement.

10 seconds  
9 seconds  
8 seconds  
7 seconds  
6 seconds  
5 seconds  
4 seconds  
3 seconds  
2 seconds  
1…

"Edward Cullen reaches first place of this competition, record time since 1999 for a local competitor. Congratulations!" The speakers were announcing the result, but the audience had now turned hectic. The noise was coming from everywhere; the old place was filled with applauses and shouts.

Edward got out of the water with an ear to ear smile. His perfect body shining with the drops of water on it. Irrationally I started walking to the stairs that would lead me to the swimming pool section, making the people that were overpowering my clumsiness to a side. I almost ran through the stairs and to where the competitors were. I almost ran through the corridor to reach him.

My happy face dropped when I saw his hideous girlfriend approaching him. Her provocative walk accentuated as there was an audience watching. Her hands reached his body before even looking into his eyes. And that same revolting feeling overcame my stomach as she kissed him hard in the lips. With all the strength that I could come up with, I did my best to look to anywhere but them.

I was already turning around to the stairs again, my head spinning around with nauseas… when suddenly two warm, wet, strong hands grabbed me by the waist – pulling me closer to him.

"Hey there," my best friend breathed in my ear making me shiver in response. But not because I was cold – not because of that at _all._

I gulped in response of my reaction and closed my eyes. My back now wet because he leant me on his body. "Hey," I made my best to open my eyes and stared back at him. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," he chuckled quietly and bit his lip. I couldn't stop myself thinking how good his wet hair went with his features… _God, Bella! What's wrong with you?!_ My brain snapped at me. What was wrong with me? Was something wrong with me?

For a fraction of a second I thought where Jessica could be, because she wasn't bugging around anymore, she wasn't anywhere my eyes could reach either. But I so didn't want to jinx it asking it. The competitors were already going inside the locker room, leaving few people in the corridor.

His hands were still one on each side of my waist, my back still pressed to his chest, his mouth still too close to my ear. And again that strange and yet amazing feeling shook my stomach, but not only my stomach – my whole body too.

"It was all for you," Edward grinned, his perfect white teeth exposed.

And I blushed. "Not for your girlfriend?" I asked without even thinking it. My teeth found my tongue in that same second, biting it so it wouldn't say anything inappropriate again.

His eyes were deep on mine for a second, and then he suddenly looked at the front and shrugged. "Do you want it to be for Jessica?" Curious how he didn't use the word 'girlfriend'.

"I—" I didn't know what to say. I just stared at him with frightened eyes as I saw the answer too clear in my head. No, no, NO. I didn't want him to have anything to do with her. I wanted her hands miles away from Edward's body, the same with her lips. I didn't want to think of everything they could do together, I only wanted to have him far away from her. I only wanted to have him far away from any girl… any girl but me.

This completely insane revelation made me jump off his arms. I was feeling too weird to have his body like that, touching mine… even if the fabric of my shirt was between them two.

"What?" Edward scowled, trying to decipher my previous reaction.

My eyes dropped to the floor, a fire suddenly burning my cheeks. "Umm, I'm… I think… I'm gonna go with Charlie now… He might be looking for me."

"Oh," he breathed. "You really have to? Stay with me just for a bit longer…"

My eyes, irrationally, looked up to his. Just to find out he was staring back with that impossible intensity that gave me goose bumps. I made my best compose myself. "Well, er, what do you want to do?"

He shrugged and took a step closer to me. "I don't know, just— hanging around. I've missed you this week, silly girl." He smiled his crook smile.

And I made my best not to stop breathing. "Yeah… I mean, I've been with Dartmouth's things and all…"

His eyes were for a second with that pain that I was sure was the same Alice was talking about. But then he composed quickly, his eyes were in the space, his hand messing his wet, golden hair up. "How is everything with that?" He muttered, almost unintelligible.

The same unbearable pain found my chest, and I made my best not to put my arms around me and compose. Edward eyes were skeptical on mine nevertheless. As if he had something special that would always tell him when I felt bad, even if I wouldn't say anything. "'You okay?"

"Perfect," I lied, and smiled pathetically. "And with Dartmouth, well…" I needed to say it, even if just saying the words hurt. "I'm leaving next Sunday."

He flinched. His body becoming suddenly too tensed, his nostrils flaring. "W-what?" He almost choked. "What are you saying?"

"Dartmouth people told me it was better if I went before, so I could adjust better and meet more new people. And I didn't think it was such a bad idea, you know? It's better if I could go and settle myself before everything start so I can familiarize…" But I cut off my stupid rambling when his eyes, even though dropped to the floor, irradiated such pain that it made me want to cry and scream.

"Edward?" I breathed, stretching my hand to touch his shoulder.

"Next week, huh?" He laughed sarcastically, his eyes still on the floor.

I came closer to him and put my arms around his back, resting my head on his shoulder. He didn't fight back, but he didn't hug me either. His arms were like dead at his sides. I hugged him strongly, my nose going irrationally to meet the scent I loved the most.

I breathed in his now almost dry neck. Unconsciously I moved my lips closer and kissed the bare skin of it. I heard a low gasped coming from his lips, and then I cringed away. Unable to understand what I had just done.

His eyes were closed when I looked again at him, his body completely stiff. His eyes snapped open then, as if he had been in some kind of trance before. "What's wrong?" Edward said huskily.

I looked around once, as if I was scared that someone had seen my previous action. Luckily there was nobody down here, but the loud noises hinted that many people were still inside the building.

I cleared my throat; I knew my voice wasn't anything nice right now. The shock was too much. "Nothing… I think I have to go," I was already turning around, when he caught me by the wrist.

"What? Don't go," he said almost with desperation. "Just stay with me."

But there was something that was telling me that he wasn't only meaning right now, as if he was asking me to stay here, to not go to Dartmouth or any other place. Maybe I was hallucinating and it was again my whacko system playing dirty.

My arms found irrational his bare chest one more time, and I placed my cheek on his shoulder again. This time his arms held me tightly, I could feel his breathing over my head, going stronger. The same irrational feeling overcame stomach. My heart once again beat faster than necessary, my thorax going up and down faster too.

I closed my eyes and kissed his neck one more time, without think it. I just let this thing I was feeling to flow freely. My lips stayed longer than necessary in the same spot a mole was. A weird and yet amazing electricity filling my body.

He held me closer to him, his arms strong and at the same time gentle around my waist. And I just didn't want to take my lips from where they were. I just wanted to taste it. But I couldn't do that, he was my best friend for God's sake—

But his husky voice in my ear made me loose my trail of thought. "Bella I—"

"Hey guys—" A familiar strong voice called from the door making us both jump in response. "Whoa, was I interrupting something?" Emmett eyes sparkled.

And I suddenly felt this urge to punch him for having come in this moment. I didn't know why but I felt he interrupted something important, really important.

Edward seemed to have the same annoyance in his face; the grinding of his teeth was almost audible from my spot. "No, Emmett. What do you want?" He muttered, giving Emmett a dead look.

Emmett felt uncomfortable for a second, as if he had realized this place was too crowded for three people, too private. "Err, it's just that everyone is looking for you. And Bella, Charlie wants to know if the monster of pools ate you." He laughed childishly.

I sighed heavily; Charlie and his constant preoccupation of my well being, it was almost lunatic. Not that Edward was so far either. "Well, if he ate me I technically can't tell him, can I?" I tried to tease, and make this a little less uncomfortable. Edward chuckled at my side, but the air was still too tense.

Emmett frowned. His eyes were lost for some seconds as if he was thinking of what I had just said. "Umm, I guess." Edward and I laughed at the same time. "Just come when you can, okay?" He said fast and walked outside the place.

Everything was too quiet once again. And we were deliberately avoiding each other's eyes. Though I was dying to know what he was about to say me, I bit my tongue. It was the best. "So, Charlie is waiting for me…"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, go," he said too casually. "See you tomorrow at Angela's."

Our hands found in the air, but I didn't look at his eyes, I was too ashamed. I just looked at the weird touches our hands were having, as if they didn't want to break apart. We released them slowly; the fingertips of our fingers were the last ones to separate.

"H-hate you," I tried to say when I was already turning to the stairs, but it wasn't that what I wanted to say.

He was behind me, completely quiet. But I didn't want to turn around; my stomach was still squeezing with that same feeling. "I don't, I don't hate you at all," he breathed, and his breathing felt in my hair. When I turned to face him, shocked by his strange way of forming the reply and his proximity, he was already gone.


	29. Chapter 25 Part 2 1

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 25 (Part 2) | - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the errors this might have. Hope you have a Very Merry Christmas, and… don't kill me, please! XD As always, please review, I love to know what you think of it!!!**_

**C****hapter 25 (Part 2) |**

Angela's street was already crowded with cars as I pulled over almost in the start of her block. The soft breeze of summer filled my nose when I got out of the car, the present in my right hand. There were bright stars on the dark sky already beaming with force, even if the night had merely started.

I took a deep breath to steady myself, and peeped one more time at my outfit. I was wearing white and black tonight; there was something nice in these two colors together… something pure that I loved.

I delayed the walk as much as possible as I approached the house; I was feeling this weirdness in myself again. My eyes followed the road of cars parked one in front of the other. One shiny silver Volvo perfectly parked took my attention. And unconsciously, my hands met my chest, prohibiting the pain to overcome me again.

I could see Jasper's car too, parked next to Mike's one, Ben's one and Lauren's one. _Too crowded_, I thought and let out a heavy sigh. Angela's creamy little house went nice with the flowers that decorated the entrance. In the door, there were some balloons pasted to the wood. I smiled once; Angela was this person that even though she was very mature, she still had her childish side. And I hoped she'd never get rid of it.

I knocked once until she was already in the door, greeting me with an excited smile.

"Happy birthday, Ang!" I cheered and gave her a hug. "This is for you."

Angela took the present with tranquil hands. "You really shouldn't have to,"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Are you infected with the same virus I am? Just open it!"

Her hands shredded slowly the light blue paper. And then she gasped in awe. "How did you know?" She was almost breathless. Her eyes posed in every little word of my short letter.

**'You can write your amazing stories inside here. Remember me when you become famous. With love, Bella.'**

"Ang, your eyes are like open windows. At least for me." I shrugged and smiled at her bewildered eyes as she scanned the leather notebook.

"Thank you, really." She smiled at me, her smile showing how truthful her words were. She then closed the door behind us.

"It's nothing," I shrugged again. And then my eyes sparkled with excitement. "What did Ben give you?"

Her own shined with love. "I can only tell you half of it," she laughed timidly. "He gave me this bracelet; our initials are engraved in the inside." With delicate hands she took the bracelet off her wrist, she gave it to me as if it was pure gold from Heaven.

The inside of the silver bracelet showed their initials as she had told me. I wanted to smile, but that same pain overcame my chest again. This time much stronger.

"Bella, are you okay?" Angela's eyes were worried on my face, I was sure I was wincing. But I couldn't contain myself, I just wanted to scream.

I nodded some times, unable to speak. My shaky right hand reached hers as I put the little silver thing on it. My left one was clenched to my chest, pulling it together.

"Are you sure, Bella?" She said impatiently. "You seem to be about to cry."

Did I? "N-no," I tried to breath. "I'm fine, really. I'm just— nervous, I guess."

I dropped my gaze to the floor, I was sure she would read that was not what was really happening inside me if she read my expression. She was too perceptive.

"Maybe, Dartmouth…?"

I gulped heavily. "Maybe." Though I knew it wasn't entirely Dartmouth.

"Okay," her voice showed a calm I knew she really didn't feel. "If you need to talk about anything, you know you can talk to me."

"Thanks, Ang. I know." I smiled at her.

"So come on, everyone is already here!" With that she took my hand and started walking to where the loud voices seemed to be coming from. The creamy walls of her house were decorated with balloons as the entrance door; some flowers were resting in the corner of a long table.

For some reason I didn't quite understand, my heart started beating faster as we were approaching the living room. My hands sweating a bit too.

My school friends were scattered in the tiny living room. Some were sitting on the coach, others taking a soda and chips from the woody table. My eyes scanned the place impatiently, waiting to find what they were looking for.

They suddenly found a pair of eyes that were smiling back, but they weren't the ones mine were searching. Jasper walked to my spot, the corners of his lips arched in a timid smile.

"Hey, how's everything?" He said in a low voice. He approximated his face to me, the movement hesitant. I stayed completely still, feeling too weird to move. Jasper's lips were reaching mine…

When a familiar voice interrupted him, making him jump. "Hey, silly girl. Glad you are here, missed you." He put his strong arms around my waist, separating me from Jasper. I sighed in relief and placed myself in his warm hug. Though that strange and amazing feeling shook my stomach, making me almost giggle in response and blush bright red.

Jasper didn't seem as happy though. He was growling behind us as if he was a lion, and someone had suddenly taken his prey from his arms.

Edward's breathing was close to my ear, his arms like a strong grip around my body. Though Jasper's growling was growing stronger and there were loud voices sounding in the place, it suddenly became too quiet. And then, the only things I could hear were the faster rhythm of my heart beats… and his.

Just there I understood what was happening. As if a wire had suddenly plugged again to my brain, a wire that would connect my conscious, civilized, rational part with the unconscious, instinctive one, one that was seconds ago disconnected. One that was making my nose go find the smell I loved the most, and making my arms grow stronger around his shoulders, pulling me closer to him. With that realization, I jumped off his arms. Landing, instead of with my feet on the floor - with my butt on the floor.

"Ouch," I complained, my head still spinning around. Just then two hands reached out to help me at the same time. I looked up at the owners of them, my eyes wary and timid. Because I knew who they were before even looking.

Jasper and Edward eyed at each other as they realized they were both doing the same thing, their bodies rigid, their stares harsh.

"Let me help you," Jasper muttered as he bended down to reach my hand. It found mine, but the action seemed to be difficult. As if he was doing more strength than necessary for a hand to reach another one. As if mine was reluctant for some reason.

Edward's arms were now crossed over his chest, as Jasper was helping me. His expression was as cold as ice. But there was this slightest hint of pain in the depths of his green emerald eyes, one that was trying to suppress showing an unemotional face.

When I was in my feet again, a fire irradiating from my cheeks now, the three of us stared intently at each other. The air between us was so thick, that it could have been easily cut with a knife. It was as if our eyes could speak and they were shooting thousand words per second, crashing one with the other in the middle of the air.

A little hand in my forearm made me come back to reality, my legs still a bit shaky with this weird situation.

"Hey, Bella, you are already here!" Alice cheered to me, her smile warm as always. And it left me wondering, maybe this tense thing that just happened was only tense for us three – maybe it was only tense for _me_.

I tried to smile at her, even if it came up as a grim. "Hey, Alice. You look really nice." Her childish, naïve face went perfectly well with a lavender dress. And something cracked in my chest as I thought how much I would miss her when I'd go to Dartmouth. Just, too much.

"Thanks, Bella. It's an Antonio." She grinned smugly. A _what_? "You look nice too. Of course, it was my idea you wearing that dress. But I have to give it some credit anyway, right?" She smiled, proud of herself. Ugh, of course she'd called me before and told me what to wear.

"Yeah—," two voices added at the same time and then stayed quiet. Alice and I both turned to the sound. Just to find Edward and Jasper staring at each other as if they were in a duel.

I squeezed Alice's hand with impatience. She nodded to me and came to the rescue. "Edward, could you help me with something?" She smiled angelically at her brother. Oh, she was mean – she knew he could never refuse that.

Edward stared back at her for a long second, his expression showing an annoyance I'd never seen when it came to Alice. But then, as I had thought it would be, he relaxed his stiff shoulders and sighed. "What do you need?"

"Umm, I need a soda."

"But you have one on your hand," Edward widened his eyes, pointing to the Coke in Alice's tiny hands.

Alice sighed. "But this one is already warm, and you know I love cold sodas. In the table all of them are warm. You know I can't go myself to the kitchen; I'm not that friend of Angela. Please, Edward?" She pouted at him.

He stared at her for another long second and then rolled his unique eyes. "Let's go. You sometimes can be a little annoying thing, you know that?" He sighed and walked beside her to the kitchen.

Jasper was about to talk then, his expression like the one of victory - when Mike Newton's voice cut him off.

"Hi, Bella, it's been so long!" Mike said with too much enthusiasm. "I heard you are going to Dartmouth, congrats."

I tried to smile, but again that pain shook my chest. I sighed deeply and did my best to remain even. "Thanks Mike. I really am, huh?"

He nodded anxiously. "We are gonna miss you around here, you know?" With that he shrugged and went to greet Tyler that was coming inside the living room. "Hey, Tyler boy!"

I stayed quiet for some seconds. Just remembering how Edward would always tell me that he thought Mike had a big crush on me, even if he had never said anything that would prove Edward right. His way of forming his last reply left me wondering for the tiniest of moments, though. But I shook it away shaking my head and snorting. That was crazy. And impossible.

"What's so funny?" Jasper said at my side, trying to read my expression.

"Nothing, nothing," I sighed. "Just remembering…"

"Edward?" He scowled, his tone acid as lemon.

I stared at him mimicking his expression. But nevertheless, I turned crimson red. Busted. "Psst, no at all. Why would I?"

"It's just something that you do a lot. Talk about him, at least." He sighed deeply. "What were you laughing at, so?"

I shrugged. "I was just thinking of Dartmouth," I started walking with him to some chairs next to the sofa. Lauren greeted me with that same fake smile that only hinted how much she really thought I was a looser, and kept on talking with Rosalie at her side. Rosalie gave me a warm smile when I passed beside her, her beauty shining with a camel dress.

"What about it?" Jasper asked when we were already sitting. His arms crossed over his chest as he tried to scrutinize my painful expression.

I sighed deeply. "Just that I'm going in a week,"

His eyes widened clearly unexpected. "A _week_?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Really."

He stayed quiet then, looking at the front with a frown engraved in his skin. I didn't want to think about this feeling in every portion of my body that was telling I didn't want to be here right now. Well, at least that I didn't want to be with _him_ right now.

What was happening to me? Why couldn't I enjoy this last week with Jasper? What was the reason why even though I was thinking in going away in a week, now, next to him, I wouldn't feel as if my chest was cracking? Why did I feel so disconnected now when I was with him? As if I belonged to another place – to another _one_.

I flinched some times to dissipate the feeling – though deep down I knew it was something I couldn't dissipate at all. Not now, not ever.

Instead of continue looking to my inside, I decided to look to the outside. Memorizing just a bit of everyone around me, a bit of all these people that had been part of my life for more than ten years now.

Mike and Tyler always so childish… Mike was putting some food inside his nose and Tyler was laughing the hell out of him. With now a smile playing with my lips, I continued with my memorizing party… Emmett was trying to show himself off in front of Rosalie, the sleeves of his shirt were up so now his biceps were shining. He was showing how strong he was lifting up the table without reason and placing it just inches from where it was before. His face decorated with a virile smile.

Lauren always so insecure… She always needed to show something she was not, thinking that that would make people like her. How wrong she was. I knew she wasn't a bad person deep inside, but she needed to understand that treating people the way she did, would only make her lonelier than she already was. Rosalie… her beauty so beyond perfection, it was nice to know that she really was a normal girl.

My eyes turned to my side, there was Jasper… Still with his arms over his chest and his stare in a distant point in the front. I stared at his face for some seconds, trying to remember every conversation we had. Jasper was surely one of those persons that had put me upside down. He was so different than I had imagined at first. His complex relationship with his mother, the pressure he felt for his father's job… I hoped he could find someone that would treat him as he deserved. But that person wasn't me, and with every second passing by, I was surer of that.

I took my eyes to the front, and there they were Angela and Ben… The love they irradiated could be felt from every corner of the woody living room. And I suddenly felt this jealousy overcoming my system, but it wasn't because they felt love and I didn't. It was because their love was something granted for everyone; whenever you said Angela you just had to follow it with Ben.

Just one name came to my mind instantly. One name that I would always love it to be followed by mine. Again that unbearable pain ate me from inside, my hands already clenched to my chest.

As if I were suddenly a drug addict and was in need of a drug to survive, I stood up from my seat. "I'll go look for a soda,"

Jasper's eyes looked up to mine in a rush. His dead body was suddenly too alive. "There are some in the table."

"I want a cold one," I replied robotically. I didn't know what expression crossed through my face, but he flinched. A pain suddenly taking place in every inch of his face.

"You don't want me to go with you," But it wasn't a question. It was an affirmation.

"I know Angela's house." I said coldly. He nodded some times, the pain still evident in his gracious features.

He sighed deeply then. "I'll be there with Mike and Tyler."

Without looking back once, I walked to the kitchen. Emmett gave me a bright smile when I passed beside him; his eyes still too focus in Rosalie. But I couldn't smile back; I was still too in need of this drug. As if my body and soul were craving for something in particular, something I could only find in this kitchen.

"Alice, you've told me the story three times already. Can we go to the living room, now?" I could see my best friend's face decorated with impatience as I walked into the kitchen. His sister was with her arms crossed over her chest looking up at him with a determined look.

"No, Edward. I still have to tell this one more time, there is something I didn't tell you well enough." Alice was surely with her part of the plan, distracting him.

Edward sighed, and then as if something had told him he had to turn, his deep emerald green eyes found me. His body suddenly relaxing with a deep breath.

And I smiled. I smiled and ear to ear smile. Too happy to hide it. I walked to him, my legs almost going alone to the spot. Edward's lips were arching up as I approached him.

"Hey," he said, almost in a whisper. "Glad no one kidnapped you out there." He finished with that smile that would shook my system in impossible ways.

I tried to breath, though it had suddenly become too difficult. "Y-yeah, glad the same." Groaningly, Edward looked down to Alice; her eyes were shining like stars. A low giggle coming off her lips was almost audible from my place.

"Didn't you have to go to the bathroom, Alice?" Edward said each word distinct, his eyes intently on hers.

Alice looked lost for some seconds, and then she grinned. "Oh, yeah, yeah! Thanks for remembering it to me, I'd almost forgotten!" She sang and went out of the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone in that tiny place.

Edward stared at her back longer than necessary, his look showing disbelief. Huh, how curious he didn't fight for taking her to the bathroom's door.

"So...," Edward lifted me up without effort and placed me in the kitchen counter. Just that same feeling in the pit of my stomach showed when his hands found my waist. He stayed standing in front of me, his hands resting at each side of me in the marble kitchen counter. "How's your boyfriend?"

I flinched. "My _what_?"

He stared at my eyes intently. "Your boyfriend, Bella. Jasper."

I snorted. "He's not my boyfriend."

"He's not?" There was this slightest smile that his full lips showed before he suppressed it, dropping his face to the floor.

Why did I feel this conversation was much bigger than it really looked like? Much important and private? "No, he is not." And I wanted to leave that clear.

"And what is he, then?" His eyes were on mine again, the intensity too strong.

"I don't know, nothing I can identify, really." I thought for some seconds. "What is Jessicas—a of you?"

He smiled at my almost nickname for her. And then became too serious. "I don't know either… Maybe I could consider her my girlfriend before. I don't know it that well, now."

"Why?" I scowled, but there was this invisible force that was pulling the corners of my lips in a smile.

Edward sighed deeply and stared at the space. "I just— it's different now, you know…?"

Hell I knew! My heart was beating really fast and I had only my best friend in front of my eyes, of course I knew things were different. At least for me.

"Different?" I asked anyway. I really needed to know.

He sighed deeply. "Different…," he trailed off and placed his forehead in the hollow between my shoulder and my neck. My stomach was already flying, my legs already shaking. He stayed quiet, breathing deeply. "Jeez," he mumbled moments later trough the bare skin of my neck. "How much I'm gonna miss you… _too_ much."

I felt that pain building inside me again, crashing my chest with every word his spoke. Maybe it was not my chest, though, because the pain was more localized – maybe it was my _heart_.

I breathed deeply, trying to relax my suddenly too tense body. Even though my voice would come up distorted, I spoke. "Y-you can with me." It sounded more like a pleading than a suggestion.

He stayed quiet, again. His shoulders stiffing reflexively. His breathing too next to my skin, it was making it difficult to think straight. "I can't, Bella. You know I can't," his voice was a weak whisper, as if the words were too tough to say them out loud.

And they sure were for me. An immense necessity to cry invaded me right there. And I suppressed I moan of pain that threatening to give me away. Now I was happy his face was pressed to my shoulder and he couldn't see my wincing.

"Just a week…," he mumbled again, the tone had this edge of pain and desperation too. And I suddenly thought that maybe he was also happy that I was not seeing his face right now, that maybe he hided his face on my shoulder so I wouldn't be able to see his expression while he told me what he thought.

I nodded slowly, unable to speak. It seemed as if the words were buried deep down my body, as if it was too difficult to speak. I was sure if I would speak right now, the tears that were almost in the edge of my eyes – would spill.

I felt something warm at my sides, and then I understood that warm, pleasant feeling were his hands on my waist. That amazing, weird feeling overcame my body, then. And everything became blurry, as if it was too difficult to even remember my name. My breathing accelerated too, when his nose started brushing my neck.

I gulped, my eyes closing without previous warning. My hands suddenly finding his arms as if they had a life on their own. He gasped lowly when I did this.

"I-I need to tell you something," he mumbled, his voice just too husky.

I made my best to let out the words in a coherent way. "T-tell me."

"It's not that simple," he laughed nervously, his strong breathing tickling me – but this tickles was different, and I was starting to get addicted to the feeling.

The tone of his voice made me shiver. It was too serious, too important. And I was suddenly dying to hear what he needed to tell me. "Just say it how you can, but say it."

He suddenly separated his face from my body and stared at me. His eyes too deep on mine, almost burning me. I made my best to remain still and not collapse to the floor as my mind was commanding me.

"It's just this _thing_ that is going to kill me if I don't take it out. It's starting to eat me day by day, hour by hour…," he sighed deeply, his nostrils suddenly flaring with nervousness.

And my stomach was about to burst. My body was too full of that feeling inside me, making every single cell of my body shake with life. "I don't want you to die, just tell me."

He smiled crookedly for a brief moment, and then he became serious again. The air too thick around us, making the place even tinier and ourselves even closer.

"It's this thing that I've been feeling for a while now, becoming stronger with moments." His emerald green eyes had suddenly something dark on them, something that was reaching the top. Something he was trying to suppress.

"What is it, Edward?" I gasped.

He bit his lower lip. "Jeez, I'm such a baby! I never thought this would be that difficult…," he laughed nervously, arching his neck to the back.

Suddenly I wasn't myself anymore. Or maybe… _this_ was the time in which I was being myself more than ever.

I took his face with my hands, commanding his eyes to look up to mine. His body became suddenly rigid with my unexpected action. "Tell me, Edward. Tell me _now_."


	30. Chapter 25 Part 2 2

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 25 (Part 2) || - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the errors this might have. Thank you for your comments :) They mean a lot!!! **_

_**Enjoy and please let me know what you think =D**_

_**PREVIOUSLY ON Until It Happens ;)**_

_"What is it, Edward?" I gasped._

He bit his lower lip. "Jeez, I'm such a baby! I never thought this would be that difficult…," he laughed nervously, arching his neck to the back.

Suddenly I wasn't myself anymore. Or maybe… this was the time in which I was being myself more than ever.

I took his face with my hands, commanding his eyes to look up to mine. His body became suddenly rigid with my unexpected action. "Tell me, Edward. Tell me now."

**Chapter 25 (part 2) ||**

"You are more important to me than you think, Bella. _Way_ more important." He modulated every word perfectly, as if his life would depend on me getting the message.

My head was spinning around, the shaking had spread through all my body. But I needed to know how much more important - because he was way more important to me too than he thought. Way, way more. "W-what do you mean, Edward?" My voice came up as a pleading - and I was sure desperate.

His emerald green eyes were again too deep in mine, the dark now overpowering almost all the green. I felt something warm in my face, and then I realized it was his thumb brushing the skin of my cheek in a sweet way. But his touches had something, something I had never felt in them before… something that wouldn't let him shake it off of my body. As if they were pasted together with some impossibly strong glue and they could never break away. And I couldn't be gladder.

He took a deep breath. "I mean that I long for you in more ways that you could ever imagine, Bella."

My stomach was twisting so much in that moment that I thought it would break. I made my best to make my words audible. "Which ways?" It was almost a moan. My hands were still in his cheeks – shaking.

His thumb had reached the corner of my lips by now, his eyes intently in my mouth. I gulped heavily again and steady myself clenching my feet to the kitchen counter, because I suddenly felt as weaker as ever. No – it was not weakness. It was a feeling of flying. I felt as if I were about to start flying now. Yes, it was exactly that.

"Jeez…," he breathed, coming a bit closer. "In impossible ways. So strange and unique and amazing ways…"

"In which ways, Edward? What do you feel?" I didn't know if he heard me. I couldn't hear myself anymore, I was flying already.

"I feel… I feel something more—"

Two figures entered the kitchen right there, cutting him off. But I was still too submerged in Edward's words to really hear to what they were saying. Their voices seemed anxious.

Edward was the one who broke away, jumping a foot backwards. I stayed with my hands touching only the air, my head still spinning too much. My heart still flying.

"Yeah, yeah, we're going." The only voice I could hear was Edward's… so velvety. So husky, too.

"Now, Edward!" The sudden shout made me wake up from my trance and look to where the shrieking sound was coming.

Lauren was staring at me as if I had a contagious disease and I was in quarantine. I restrained the necessity of punching her hard in the face that suddenly came with force. Mike was monitoring the situation at her said – his juvenile face stronger with a frown.

I was flinching, looking at everyone as if I had suddenly lost it. Edward took my hand and squeezed it. "They want us to go play a game," he whispered at me and then rolled his eyes.

"A game?" I said warily, trying to catch my breath again. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. We should go…," he offered his hand to me. But it was as if his eyes were telling me the opposite, as if he really wanted to stay where we were and finish what we started. What had we really started? What had he told me? It was as if I was too up in the sky to even listen to any word after his thumb reached my lips.

I took his hand anyway. I knew this intense, private moment between us had already ended. My legs were shaking so badly that when I landed in the ground, I almost fell. His hands caught me just in time and steadied me. "You clumsy girl," he chuckled in my ear.

I almost choked again. What was wrong with me? Those stupid words he was telling me were making impossible things to me! And I just wanted to hear that special tone in his voice every time he spoke – but only to _me_.

Everyone was already sitting when we reached the living room, all around the coffee table. Some of their eyes were impatient, others mischievous, others were nervous, others happy… and others just too hurt. I grimaced as I saw Jasper's face immersed in a big pain as he stared back at us. God, this dating and romantic aspect of life was more difficult than I'd ever imagined.

I went silently to sit beside Alice, not wanting to meet Jasper's eyes again. I sat almost across Edward that was sitting beside Emmett.

"Let's start," Angela sang impatiently.

I frowned. "What are we starting, exactly?"

"Truth or dare." Emmett said mocking a mysterious voice.

"WHAT?" Edward and I shouted at the same time.

Everyone stared at us mutedly for a second. "Why the shock?" Mike suddenly asked. But his face showed that maybe he knew why the shocked was so big.

"Umm, I— I just think it's a little bit childish, you know? We are already grown ups." I tried my best to speak coherently despite my choking state. Alice's eyes were skeptical in my face, and I damned red so much in that second; I knew I had completely blushed. Just the thought of this game with the players that took part of it… I couldn't even think it.

Emmett's loud guffaw resounded. "Don't worry, Bella. Promise we are making it for 'grown ups'." He arched his eyebrows.

God, did I always have to mess up things with my BIG mouth?! "That was not—"

"Alright, Isabella! Just _cut_ it, already!" Lauren sighed heavily as if she was annoyed.

Just like her super trooper friend. Isabella. Ugh. You know what? BRING-IT-ON!

"Okay. Let's start, then." I said with a security I really didn't feel.

"Oh, I start!" Rosalie said, her bright smile showing her beauty just a little more. "Umm, Alice, truth or dare?"

Alice laughed nervously. "Truth."

Rosalie smiled at her, sweetly. "Who do you think is the cutest guy of all of them, leaving your brothers on a side, of course." She laughed, and winked at Emmett.

Suddenly all our eyes were posed on Alice, as if we were trying to read her thoughts with our concentrated stares.

Alice giggled nervously for a second, her eyes in the floor. But then she lifted them up and they were posed completely in one person. She grinned, then, ashamed. "Jasper."

Suddenly all of our eyes turned to Jasper. Mike and Tyler whistled in a teasing way.

The answer caught Jasper off guard, his eyes widened for a second. But then he smiled back, warmly. "Hey, thanks, Alice."

I could hear an almost inexistent growl coming from Edward's lips, but I wasn't sure if somebody else heard it – nobody commented on it.

Alice giggled again. "It's true, you are kind of cute." And then she turned her eyes to me, her stare apologetic. I thanked her through mine. She didn't really know how much that relieved me, instead of enraging me.

Jasper laughed then, enjoying himself. "Well, you are kind of cute, too." Though it seemed as if he was trying to exaggerate it for some reason – some reason I maybe knew - it sounded as if he really meant it.

Suddenly, a breath I had been holding for too long inside me without even knowing it - went out of my system. For only seconds I felt completely relaxed, but then the tension increased again when it was Alice's turn.

She scanned the little place with mischievous eyes, trying to find in the others' stares what they were desperately trying to hide. She giggled then, her eyes sparkling.

"Emmett," Alice said trying to remain serious. Emmett found Alice's eyes with excitement.

"Yeah?"

"Truth or dare, big brother?" She grinned at him.

Emmett thought for a second, his eyes lost in some invisible spot of that woody space. He then turned his eyes to Rosalie, and spoke. "Truth."

Alice clapped her hands and arched a tiny eyebrow. Her naïve face decorated with a romantic smile. "If you could ask Rosalie anything, what would that be?"

Emmett kept his eyes in Rosalie's face. Her own eyes now narrowing in a timid way. But I could see how much she was enjoying this and also how much she wanted him to answer that question.

For one second I thought he was going to act as the usual Emmett; laugh and say something funny. But he surprised me. His features became suddenly serious and mature.

He half smiled to Rosalie and still without taking his eyes off her, he breathed deeply. "I would ask you to be my girlfriend. I would ask you to see me like something more than a funny guy and to realize that I can be someone important in your life. That I could be that one that would hold your hand through tough times and laugh with you through happy ones. I promise I'll show you I can be that guy, Rosalie Hale. Because you deserve that and much, much more." He finished with a soft smile and dropped his eyes to the floor when he realized everyone was intently staring at him. Suddenly everything became completely quiet.

I was sure everyone's mouths were hanging open as mine was. I was completely astonished of Emmett's speech and of _this_ Emmett. An Emmett I had never seen before, but one that I liked a lot.

Suddenly a noise of a chair made me come back to reality. Rosalie's walk was flawless as she was approaching Emmett, her gaze concentrated in only one objective. She walked through Mike and Tyler and reached him, her lips already parted as she jumped to his lap.

She took his face with sure hands and placed a strong and yet too soft kiss in his lips. Emmett eyes snapped open with the sudden action, but then melted and closed again. They stayed like that for some minutes that I was sure they felt like mere milliseconds.

Rosalie separated her face from his, only little inches. Though it was intended to be a whisper, all of us were too determined to listen and the silent became too much.

"Emmett Cullen," she smiled sweetly. "I can see that man you are talking about in front of my eyes, I always see him. But if you want to show him more to me, I'd be more than pleased. And of course I want to be your girlfriend." She giggled in his ear.

Emmett face illuminated and for a second he seemed to be in an ecstatic state. "Hell, yeah!" He shouted and clutched her to his arms. Everyone laughed then; Emmett would always be… Emmett, no matter how sweet he would be. And that was good. Rosalie requested his mouth once again, giving him a much stronger kiss. With that everyone started cheering and whistling.

Everyone but me. Though I wanted to laugh and be happy for them, suddenly that pain overcame my chest, my arms finding reflexively the place that hurt the most. But my heart was still beating, though it seemed impossible how.

I tried to take my eyes off the happy couple, trying to understand why the pain would overcome me in such unexpected and different situations. When my eyes were trying to find something to pose on, they found a pair of eyes that were staring back. One of a color that would take my breath away. They wandered worryingly, scrutinizing my face. But there was this same feeling in their depths, that I was sure resembled perfectly to my own.

Just then it occurred to me that maybe the situations weren't as unexpected and different as I thought. That maybe there was this only thread that would sew each one of them together.

Edward's eyes were still connected with mine, as if we were living in a parallel universe of all the other ones, one too little to be filled with more than two. I didn't want to take my eyes off him, I was afraid that that would make him disappear.

A sudden gasp coming from my lips shook me, when I realized the only thing that would separate us would be… me.

"Bella!" I felt something pulling me.

"W-what?" I said disoriented, visualizing again my friends and school classmates staring warily at me.

Alice squeezed my hand at my side. "You were like dead for some seconds."

"Oh," I frowned. "Promise I'm alive."

Alice stretched to me. "Yes, but not for too long; Emmett chose you."

I stared at Emmett in shock, his lips curled up in a mischievous grin. And I could do nothing else than gulp heavily.

"Bella," he said slowly. Rosalie was now sitting at his side, their hands intertwined. "Truth or dare?"

I felt my brain overworking, predicting what would be better – or what wouldn't be that bad. But it came up with nothing. I looked at Alice with desperation; she should know what to do.

Alice shrugged at my side, for her eyebrows together I knew her brain was working as much as mine. "You know Emmett, the dare can kill you."

She was right, I couldn't choose dare – I was too afraid of what he could ask me to do.

"Truth," I mumbled in a new language that I was sure didn't exist until now.

"_What_? I couldn't get it." Emmett frowned, approximating his ear to me.

"TRUTH!" I shouted back, too hysteric to just talk.

He grinned hugely. "Alright, if you say it with that conviction, girl…"

Why would he—"OH, NO!" Alice and I shrieked at the same time, realization crashing us like a big snow ball in the face. "I prefer dare!" I shouted, stumbling with the words as they wanted to go out all at the same time.

Emmett shook his head, determination taking place in every inch of his features. "Nope, you've already chosen. You can't change it now."

"You can't do this to me, Emmett." I begged to him through my eyes, my heart already beating with violence.

Emmett eyes held this strange wisdom for some seconds, but maybe I made it up to my own convenience. "Trust me, Bella. I know what I'm doing." He said this very low, as if it was intended to reach only me.

"Could anyone include us in the conversation, please?" Lauren sighed heavily, demanding attention.

But I couldn't look away from Emmett. I was too scared to look at anybody else. Too scared of what was about to come. And my mind could only project two names; Jasper and Edward.

I took a deep breath to steady myself. There was no other thing to do right now. Emmett was completely decided; I could see that in his sure expression.

"Bella," he said too clear.

"Mhm?" I was already immersed in a big, dark pool. The darkness pulling me more to its depths with every _tick-tock_ of the clock.

"Did you dream you kissed my brother, _Edward_?"

I shut my eyes closed. I couldn't see everyone's expression as I said the truth. And the darkness was almost reaching my neck by now.

"Yes, I did." The whisper that went out of me was so weak that it wouldn't have reached anyone if it wasn't for complete the silence inside Angela's living room.

And, _of course_. Of course everybody shouted 'WHAT?' as if someone had told them the world was ending tomorrow. It was sure ending for me though, but tonight.

Only one pair of eyes mattered to me truly. And if I wouldn't listen to my brain so much, I would sure be opening my eyes right now, shouting to him that I was sorry, that please, don't hate me. But I was a chicken.

The place erupted in laughter, then. Some deep voice, maybe Tyler's one, was talking about what a dirty dream should have I had. Another one, maybe Rosalie, was questioning Emmett, trying to find out how he knew about this. Her tone had an angry edge, and it was understandable. Her little brother was dating the girl that had dreamed about her best friend. What a bizarre situation. Ugh, we could sure make a movie about all this.

My eyelids were still glued. Even if the voices started going stronger, some calling to me; Alice was telling me to not worry at my side, trying to reassure me. Angela somehow seemed overexcited by the idea. Lauren was telling Jasper what a b*tch I was, and how much she knew that since the beginning.

But none of that mattered to me. Not really. I only wanted to hear his voice, to see his eyes, to feel his hands in my face, to smell his neck… Nothing else mattered but him.

So I obeyed my heart instead of listening to my mind so much. I opened my eyes slowly, carefully – worried of the scene that could be taking place just in front of me.

But every fear crumbled when I finished. Between this jungle with hungry, desperate wild animals, my best friend had his eyes sparkling. His mouth was the tiniest bit more open than the usual. His body tense but yet relaxed was giving these silly tickles to my stomach.

It was as if he was trying to speak to me through his eyes, shooting thousands of words that would explain what he was feeling right now. But I couldn't see disgust or anger or hate in any of them. I could only see something too weird that would increase the tickles.

A song suddenly sounding made me break back to reality. Though I was enjoying of the other one just too much.

Unconsciously, I turned to the sound. Jasper was feeling his pocket with shaky hands, his eyes in anywhere but me. Something inside me broke, then. Something tiny but important… I had hurt Jasper, and badly. Not just tonight, but every single minute I had spent with him.

Jasper took the cell phone with a fast movement and sighed deeply. "I should get this, it's dad." He rolled his eyes to Rosalie. "Dad?" He called to the black cell phone, his voice like the one of a dead.

After some 'mhms,' and 'ahas' he closed the tiny thing. "I need to go, dad needs help with a boat."

Rosalie sighed heavily, standing up. "I go with you, I'm sure he'll ask you to do everything as he always does."

Jasper nodded once, his eyes grateful. Then, without meeting my eyes, he said a general 'good night' and apologized to Angela for leaving now. With that, he went out of the house.

Rosalie gave Emmett a soft kiss in the lips who pouted back, and then after a much cheering good-bye, and also without meeting my eyes, she followed her brother's path.

"Bella, is your turn." Alice told me, then.

Ugh. I really wasn't in the mood to make any interesting question or dare. "Umm, I really don't have anything in store. I'll give my turn to someone else."

Emmett was going to talk, his face already decorated with a huge smile, when I cut him off. "I choose, Emmett." My voice came stronger than what I intended, but I was still a bit pissed off.

"Ugh," he groaned, folding his arms across his chest as a little baby.

"Ang, I choose you." I smiled at her; she would never do anything I wouldn't want.

"Okay, thanks, Bella." But her voice showed this edge I didn't like, and that strange wisdom was once again in her eyes.

Angela's eyes posed in the same second in one spot, one that gave me goose bumps.

"Edward, truth or dare?"

My best friend's face was a poem as he realized 'Edward' was him. He messed his hair up, and bit his lower lip. "Dare." It was as if he'd had already chosen long before.

Why did my stomach filled again with the tickles with only that word? Why did my legs shook instantly? I tried to compose myself breathing deeply.

Angela smiled brightly. "I dare you to cross Bella."

"You _what_?" Edward and I choked out at the same time.

Angela smiled again, her eyes calmed. "You have to kiss her forehead, then her left cheek, then her right one, then her chin, and then… her lips."

I almost fainted there. I was sure all the blood had suddenly left my body. I felt her words sounding again and again in my mind; '_and then her lips_.' That feeling in the pit of my stomach overcame me again, my heart almost jumping off my chest.

My eyes were glued to my hands, too ashamed to look up and meet his. I was sure he was grimacing right now, I was sure he would refuse this. So I just waited patiently for some seconds that felt really like a whole life.

But no 'WHAT?' or 'ARE YOU CRAZY?' sounded. There were only quiet whispers through the air, maybe they were not whispers but I was too submerge in my own world to really hear to what the others were saying.

"Okay," I suddenly heard my best friend saying. "It's a game, I can't back out now, right?"

"Right," I thought to hear Emmett shouting. Not really sure though; my eyes were still in my hands, my head still spinning too much to think anything coherently.

"Bell…?" The sound of his voice calling my name made me look up. He was already standing, his stare sure in my eyes. Without waiting for an answer he started walking across the coffee table, reaching where I was. I gulped heavily as he came closer.

My heart was already doing impossible things inside me, making me feel as if I had run the longest marathon today. I clenched my hands to the sofa, supporting my body that felt once again too weak.

He finished his way to me, his eyes at every second on mine. I could hear once again a buzzing around me as if the world would continue even if this was happening. But not for me, I was once again in this only place that we two would fit. And now it felt as tiny as ever.

He kneeled in front of me, his eyes just a bit higher than mine. My body shook violently as he took my face in his hands. His hands were shaking too. I needed to close my eyes but I couldn't. I could not do anything else but stare as his deep emerald green eyes, absorbing as much of them as possible.

His thorax was going up and down in an uneven way. There were only inches separating us – but it felt as if we had to fight an army of newborn vampires to reach each other. His face came suddenly closer, and I gasped when his lips touched the skin of my forehead.

He pressed them too lightly, too softly… leaving the place all too alive, as if all the cells of my body went to that same spot to experience the feeling of minute electric sparkles.  
His lips lingered longer than necessary in the spot and now my eyes surrendered. I closed them slowly at the same time my hands clenched strongly to the couch – I was flying again. This time I wasn't alone, though. This time he was with me.

He continued with his part in this game. His scent intoxicating my essence. He reached my cheeks and brushed them with his lips, leaving the same electric path in the way. Though he could have separated his face from mine while changing the place of the kiss, he didn't do it. His nose was at every second touching some portion of my face, not breaking away for anything in this world.

I couldn't think of anything but Edward in front of me. Anyway my brain had the littlest place to damn everyone that was surrounding us right now, and not just the ones that were in the house, but I couldn't think of that right now.

I suddenly wanted this to be happening for some impossible reason… but to be happening in somewhere where only he and I, were.

His hands had moved to my neck now, giving the same pleasant tickles with every stroke he made. He brushed his nose through the corner of my lips until he reached my chin. I moaned quietly as this time his lips were parted.

And I felt as if I couldn't contain myself anymore. I felt as if I was going to grab his face strongly with my hands and crush his lips to mine, already. I was suddenly aching for him in such way that seemed impossible. Without a mouth that wasn't mine I kissed his forehead that was the closest to me. And it was his time to moan quietly.

Our breathings accelerated even more as he started going the way up to my mouth, my heart was pounding so much that it resounded in my ears. Making this situation even more intense.

In the little gap our lips needed to trace to find each other, my mind started processing everything. As if it were working in a much stronger and faster frequency than it had ever done. Every single moment, word, touch, laughter, tear we had lived together appeared strongly behind my eyes. As if my mind had saved every little detail deep in my heart.

I remembered the times he had made me feel so well with myself when I felt down, or the times he'd had faith in me when nobody else had. Or the times he'd helped me with crazy things like dressing up as a chicken in the manifestation of stopping the chicken kill. Or the time we had laughed our heads off when we'd dressed up like hippies or when he'd had the incident with that poor Chihuahua. _Everything._ Everything we were together was present in me now. Even the things that were of each own were here, because in the end, we were nothing without the other one.

The gap was ending, his nose already brushing the corner of my lips once again. But this time my lips were the destiny.

There, as if suddenly someone had taken a veil off my eyes, I saw everything immensely clear. So clear that it now felt impossible not to have seen it before…

There was only one reason why his touches ached more than any other touch I had ever had. Only one reason why the single thought of leaving him would produce such unbearable pain inside me. Only one reason why I was completely addicted to him. And it wasn't only because he was my best friend.

It was because I _loved_ him. I loved him with every single breath I would take. I loved him with every single movement my body would make. He was the prince my mother wrote about. He was my person, my other half. The one I'd die if he'd vanished off this world without even thinking it twice.

I was in love with my best friend – _I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Edward Cullen_.

In that same second realization hit me completely, his sweet lips brushed mine - an almost inexistent, little touch that made my whole world rock. And I just wanted to shout it! I needed to say to him everything I had just thought, I needed his lips to touch mine again...

But a shrieking voice sounding from the front door made us both jump. A too hideous, familiar voice.

"Hey! What—" JessicASS started saying, reaching the living room, and then trailing off as I was sure she saw the too compromising situation. Though Edward was now in his feet again - it was obvious that something was happening. I made my best to hide the frustration that was emerging from every pore of my skin.

Jessica almost ran to our spot and clenched to Edward's chest. "What was going on, _baby_?" Though it seemed as if she wanted to use another term at the end. And not a nice one, precisely.

Everything became quiet again. And I just wanted to die. What was I doing? I was going to kiss someone that had a girlfriend. Even worse, I was going to kiss someone that had a girlfriend when I also was with someone else. Even though Edward and I claimed that it couldn't be called 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend'. With my cheeks burning I dropped my eyes to the floor, too ashamed to look up at her.

Even if I wanted so badly to take JessicASS' hands away from him, even if I was dying a bit more with every touch between her awful claws and his shirt, I contained myself. In some tiny, irrational part of my brain I felt like a ninja right now, though, programmed with almost inhuman movements to approach the enemy.

But that was the irrational part of my brain. My mature, rational one was telling me how bad I was doing everything right now. How much I was messing all up.

"Nothing, Jessica." Edward said then, his voice huskily. From the corner of my eyes I saw him pulling off Jessica's grip in the most subtle way possible.

But she noticed. "NOTHING? So this sl*t kissing you means nothing?!" Jessica shrieked to him. Then her eyes posed on me, if looks could kill I would sure be disintegrated by now.

How did she know? For the tiniest of seconds my mind could think two things parallel; the first one was if maybe Lauren had messaged her and that was why she came earlier to the party, regarding she had her aunt's birthday party first. The second one and the one that was overpowering all my senses was how the _hell_ she call me.

With feet that weren't mine I stood up, not really knowing what to do.

But Edward's almost growl made me froze in my place. "Don't you ever call her like that again, you hear me?"

"Unbelievable!" She shouted at his face, moving her arms at her side frantically. "You really are going to always defend her? Don't you know that the only thing she wants is having you? Huh?"

My nails dug to the bare skin of my hands. I breathed deeply to contain myself – though she was making it really difficult.

When I was going to talk and defend myself, she talked first – her eyes suddenly glistening with tears. "Don't you know how much I love you, baby?" She clenched her hands to Edward's chest again, burying her head on it.

Edward sighed deeply, but he was too much of a gentleman to pull her away this time. "Please, Jessica…," he muttered. "Let's go talk outside."

Jessica's eyes flinched with horror. "W-what? I don't want to! I'm fine like this." She shrieked as she pulled Edward even closer to her.

Edward's arms were resting at his sides, his face unemotional. "Let's go, please."

And even though I repulsed her as nothing else in my life, even more than Leah – I suddenly felt bad for her. She really looked as if she was hurting, and I didn't wish that to anyone.

She nodded slowly and trying to compose her suddenly too distorted features, she walked behind him, her pace just too slow. They turned for the living room's door and then disappeared, a slammed cutting the impossible silent place.

And I suddenly felt disgusted with myself. I had become someone I hated. I had almost done what had produced me such an immense pain in the past. I had almost become a monster. Stupid Bella.

With that thought I collapsed on the coach, my body still too shocked by this heated situation. Everyone was still too quiet, trying to digest what had just happened. I let my eyes shut close, not wanting to see all the skeptical eyes turning in my direction.

Four arms found me, then, in a big hug. And I let my body relax, letting Alice and Angela comfort me. Though I knew, deep inside, the there were only a pair of arms that could truly comfort me right now.

"Everything will be fine, Bella, you'll see." Alice whispered in my ear. "I have a gift, remember?"

I smiled a bit, but only for them. I didn't feel like smiling at all, I felt awful. Bella - the awful monster. The story of my life.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have asked him to do that dare, I really am. I just thought—"

"Well, you thought wrong, Ang. There is nothing here, okay? There is nothing and can't be anything either, because I'm leaving this town in just a few days." I spoke in a weak whisper. But not only because everyone was too close, just because I couldn't say that tough words loudly. They hurt too much. But they were the truth, also – at least the second part.

Though that unbearable pain was overpowering almost every cell of my body and the tears were threatening to spill; I contained myself clutching stronger to my friends' arms.

"I need to go home," I choked out after meditating it for some seconds. "Sorry Ang, but I'm not feeling well…"

Angela nodded at my side, her eyes understanding. "Don't worry," she smiled sweetly. "I'll go with you to the door."

"Can we go through the back one, please? I really don't want to see them." The mere thought made me grimace.

She nodded, standing up. "Bella needs to go, she doesn't feel well. I think she's running a fever." Angela lied, requesting my hand to make me stand up. Her voice had been outstandingly even when she spoke; a much better actress than me, clearly.

Lauren snorted. "Maybe you are hot for someone that doesn't belong to you?"

"No one belongs to anyone here," Emmett said strongly before I could say anything. He then smiled back at me. "Feel better, Bella. I hope you do, you know? You don't deserve feeling bad." He winked at me at the end and came to my side to give me a bear hug.

"C—can't b—breathe," I choked as his arms almost strangled me.

"Oops, my bad." He grinned apologetically and went to sit again.

After giving a quick 'good-bye' and a murdering look to Lauren, I went out of the house from the back door. Angela and Alice following right behind. They gave me another big hug and all the strength in the world, and with that, trying to look the less at my sides afraid of what I might find, I hopped to the truck. My hands still shaking when I started the engine and headed to my house.

I drove automatically, focusing only on the moves. I reached my house in less that I expected, glad there were not many policeman in town that could notice my excess of speed.

The lights of my house were all off when I went inside, and I sighed in relief as I noticed Charlie was asleep and wouldn't question me of how the night was. I wouldn't have stood it.

I entered to my room as a walking zombie, feeling too weird to really feel I was myself. I put my Oasis sweat in a millisecond and landed defeated in my bed. My head was spinning around so much that I thought I would vomit.

I breathed deeply, trying not to think in everything that had happened tonight. Trying not to feel his lips in my face… the brush between them and mine. I tried not to think in the tears that were starting to stream down my face as I thought how much I was giving up for not becoming a monster. I tried not to think at how much I would miss him when I'd go to Dartmouth.

I only could think in one thing, one that had been in my head for longer than I thought. With an adrenaline rush I jumped to my feel and took my cell phone. My hands were shaking, though, and it took me longer than it would take me in any other situation to finish it. But it was decided. It was determined. This was the only thing I was completely sure. And it couldn't wait any longer.

'_Jasper, we need to talk_.'

I gulped and pressed _send_.


	31. Chapter 26 Part 1

_**A/N**__**: Here is chapter 26 (Part 1) - Remember I speak Spanish, so I'm sorry for the errors this might have. Thank you so much for all your comments :) They really mean a lot !!! And it may take a while to get a next update, I'm starting my vacations and will be on them till the 15**__**th**__** of January! Please bear with me and I hope you don't give up on this story!!**_

_**Enjoy and please let me know what you think =D**_

**Chapter 26 (Part 1)**

The next day I woke up startled. The sound of a buzzing was penetrating my anyway too disturb sleep. I had been all night tossing around, grimacing and wincing, and not being able to sleep for one hour straight.

The buzzing had become more familiar as my eyes snapped open. They scanned warily my room, finding first the gray light coming from my window, and then, shaking my head to wake up completely I discovered the buzzing was the sound of my cell phone.

I gulped heavily, remembering what was the last thing I had done last night before going to bed. And I was too afraid to look at what my cell phone could have back for me. I was once again chickening out.

"No, Bella!" I shouted to myself. "You can't do this to him, you have to be strong and talk." Maybe I seemed as the whacko I was right now, but there was nobody here to notice.

With shaky legs I stood up from bed and took the cell phone from my desk. I took deep breath and opened it.

'_I need to talk to you, too_.' Jasper had replied.

I frowned, unconsciously. Biting my lip and confused I replied to the message.

_'Okay. Can we meet today, please?_'

I bit my nails until I received the next one.

_'4?'_

It was it. _'At the park?'_

'_Yeah.'_

Jeez, those one-word messages. As if it would be that difficult to write two words instead of just one!

_'Meet you there_.' This time I pressed the keys strongly, feeling angry.

With that I landed once again defeated in my bed. My eyes staring at my white ceiling… it was as if it was tighter today, as if all my room was too tiny and it was very difficult to breathe.

I ran out of the room, gasping for air. I breathed deeply there, beside the stairs. It seemed as if the capacity of my lungs was normal again, and the air could go in and out in an easy way. As crazy as I was right now, it was no surprise if I had invented the little panic attack. But everything did feel tinier, though… as if I was running of space. As if I was running of time.

I was going to enter to the bathroom, decided on taking a shower and calming myself down, but the sound of hands touching paper made me smile. As if I was suddenly seven years old again, I ran through the stairs and to my father's arms. I needed the unconditional support that only a parent could give to their child.

"Bella…?" Charlie said worriedly as he held me tightly to his chest. He was sitting in a kitchen's chair, drinking coffee as he always did. "What is it, little girl?"

I clenched even more to him, until he embraced me in his arms as a baby. I only could shake my head, placed now in his shoulder.

"Shh," he comforted me as he rocked me from side to side. "Everything is going to be okay, I promise. Don't cry."

So it was the tears what was blurring my sight. I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself down. The truth was that I needed to cry in an immense way. I needed to let out all the painful feelings I had inside, the monster I had almost become. And even worse, I needed to scream how unbearable was to even think of everything I was giving up for not becoming this monster. I needed to scream how painful it felt inside to know that I could never had him.

When I was only sobbing, moments later that seemed like a whole eternity, he unclenched my arms off his chest. He whipped my tears away with his thumb and stared intently at my face.

He breathed deeply, then, and now I could see it was him the one that was trying to compose. Would I always make everyone cry? "Will you tell me what happened?"

I shrugged in his lap. What would I tell him, that I had almost kissed Edward when he was with Jessica and I with Jasper? That I had just found out that I loved my best friend in a way that should be illegal? That I knew I could never have him as something else than a friend because I was going away in less than a week, and because I didn't even know if he wanted me back in that way?

With my brain projecting all my misery, I burst out again. Strongly, now. It seemed as if the cry would choke me. Well, I sure deserved that, so I let it do its things inside me. The only thing I did do was placed my head in my father's shoulders once again. But I wasn't only comforting myself, I was trying to save deep in my heart how his hugs felt. Because I knew I would need them when I'd be away.

"Bella, please talk to me. I'm starting to worry here!" He pleaded with his head over mine, his arms embracing me again. "Do I need to go and kick somebody's ass? Huh? Do I need to go find my gun right now? Because you know I have no problem in using it."

I laughed once, but it went out more as a gasp. Though the words were buried deep down my body, I tried to speak. "Dad, you've never used the gun." I mumbled through his shoulder.

He laughed once, too. "There is always a first time, Bells." He sighed then, relieved. "And I'm glad you are talking again."

I nodded. There was luckily no more salty water inside me to spill. But I didn't want to move, I felt truly safe here.

He stayed quiet then, as weighing up the situation. "So, did somebody hurt you?" He pushed again, angriness shown in every sound of his deep voice. "Was it this Jasper because he found out about Edward and you? I have to say it took me by surprise when I found out, well— not really, I really have always known how much you loved him and he loved you. It was the only thing I was silently hoping, that you two would realize you needed to be together, that you two would stop being blind and realize how much more important you are to the other than you really think. But I have to say it was shocking when I first heard it, anyway. And, by the way, I'm really angry that I had to find out for my colleagues first and not for my daughter herself.

"I really thought you were with Jasper, though. Well, but I really didn't like him so much, so… I'm glad you are with Eddie. He has always been the best one for you. He's the only one that I wouldn't be jealous if he was with you because you can notice his love for you from miles away. It's almost enviable."

I stared at him blankly, not being able to cut him off by how much his words were crumbling my brain. It was as if each one he'd spoken had entered to my system and destroyed everything in it as a mortal weapon.

"Bella, did you hear to anything I said?" Charlie frowned worriedly again. "Bella," he shook me lightly, trying to bring me back from some corner of my mind.

But I couldn't come back; the pain in my chest was just too agonizing when my mind started to recreate everything we could have been together. I was suddenly angry with everyone. How could HE always know? Why didn't he ever say anything to me? So I was the only stupid here that had wasted all her time when she could have been with the one she loved? Or at least fighting for the one she loved to love her back in the same way? It didn't matter now, though. It couldn't matter.

Charlie shook me again, his eyes hurt in mine. "Maybe you wanted this to be a secret, but my colleagues knew. I don't know how they found out, but they know Edward's your boyfriend."

"D-dad," I tried to choke out, wincing. "E-Edward is not with me, dad. He's not with me…" I shook my head slowly, my arms finding my chest as the pain would spread through all my body.

"He's not with you?" He widened his eyes.

I shook my head, slowly again. But only because it hurt too much to do it fast. "No, dad. No, he's not. It was just something he invented so Jacob Black would back off. But he won't ever be with me, truly, dad. He won't."

"Is this because you are going to Dartmouth and he isn't?"

I tried to suppress a moan of pain that was coming from my lips. "Among others."

He sighed deeply, his eyes suddenly in some invisible spot. Somehow his shoulders were tenser now. "Why does it have to be so difficult? Why isn't that you can't be with the one you love?"

I was going to deny it, to say I didn't love him in that way. But why would I waste my time? He already knew. Some thing of his speech, though, made me think that maybe he wasn't referring entirely to me. Because there was something I had always known, too.

"Dad, you have to talk to Sue." I said each word slowly, scared he wouldn't stand it.

His eyes met mine in that second, his expression all too tense. But then he dropped his eyes to the floor, and hurt was instead replaced. "Why would I?"

"Because you love her, dad. You _love_ her."

It felt as if he was about to cry, his eyes still hiding looking at the floor. "She's my friend, Bella…"

"As Edward is mine?" I arched an eyebrow involuntarily. It was as if every piece of a puzzle I had truly already complete in my head, was falling to place.

"It's different." He shook his head, his voice faltering.

"No, dad, it isn't! You deserve happiness, you really deserve it. Mom died but that doesn't mean you aren't supposed to love again. And Sue can love again, dad, she needs to. It would be what Harry and Mom would want, to see you two happy."

He sighed deeply, looking up now. "What if she doesn't feel the same?"

I smiled at him. "Trust me, dad, she does."

After giving him another strong hug, I stood up, decided in what I was looking for. I came to his side a minute later and gave him the phone. "In fact, call her right now. Ask her out."

His eyes widened with the unexpected action, and they suddenly felt so young. As if he was my age and reviving what it felt to feel that nervousness inside. That warm and sweet nervousness.

He took the phone with shaky hands, his eyes sparkling now. He was going to talk, to complain maybe, but with a mischievous smile he stood up and went inside the living room.

I lay in the kitchen counter, feeling happy for him, now. But also jealous; he would take a chance. He would do what his heart would tell him to. Me, on the other hand, I would just immerse myself in my huge misery and wouldn't do anything about it. Only talking with Jasper, that was the only thing I would do. Not for me, but because he truly deserved an apology.

Charlie came to the kitchen a while later, but I was still like a living statue pasted to the kitchen counter. That by the way, brought some memories I didn't want to feel. Well, deep down I did, but that wasn't the case.

"And…?" I said impatiently, as his face was unemotional.

He half smiled, his eyes were sparkling again. "I'm gonna take her out on a dinner, tonight."

I ran to his arms, laughing with joy. "Dad, that's amazing!"

He laughed too, a sound that irradiated such a happiness that made me want to shout.

"I didn't tell her, still. But I took a chance and now I'll see how it goes." He sighed deeply, relieved. "Thank you, Bells." I could feel the truthful of his words. "And I hope I'm not the only one taking chances here. I hope I'm not the only one who is following their heart." With that, he took his equipment and went to work.

I spent the next few hours thinking of how I could speak my feelings without hurting Jasper. As I did the cleaning of the house - that was once again not too tidy for my lack of house work in these past days - my brain started shooting ideas of how could I say it. But any of them seemed right; I would hurt someone no matter what. That was my cursed in this life; I would always hurt somebody even if I didn't want to. Ugh.

This time I got ready on time and went to the car 3:45. I really didn't want to be late. I only wanted to do something right for once, and I needed to do it the sooner possible.

Jasper was waiting in one of the park's bench when I arrived. And a park that I had always loved, full of flowers, children and laughs, felt now as dead as ever.

I walked to the bench slowly, the nervousness now reaching me a bit. But it wasn't that warm one I was sure Charlie felt this morning, this nervousness wasn't pleasant at all. It was the one that would tell you, you'd be about to do something difficult and painful.

"Hi," Jasper said unemotional when I sat beside him.

"Hi," I mumbled back, staring at the front. Now the nervousness was overpowering everything inside me. So much that my hands were starting to sweat and my legs to shake.

"You needed to talk to me," he said in a low voice.

"Yes, and you said you needed to, too."

He sighed deeply. "I think I don't want to be with you anymore, I just don't feel the same than before. I'm sorry, Bella." He breathed again. "It was that what I needed to say."

My eyes widened with the unexpected words, I truly didn't see that coming. And a sigh in relief was going to go out of my mouth, when I stopped it abruptly as I saw his features. He seemed to be wincing, though he eyes were in the floor.

With a frown, I revised his words in my mind… and there I noticed the lack of conviction they had. As if they weren't the truth, as if he only said them for me to hear them.

"Jasper," I breathed. "You are doing this so I don't feel so bad, don't you?"

He started shaking his head, but then he stopped and he nodded instead. "Pathetic how I care about you, isn't it?" He laughed bitterly.

And something broke again in my chest. I hated myself so badly right now. "I don't deserve you at all." I muttered, folding my arms across my chest.

His eyes met mine in that same second. "How can you see yourself so unclearly?"

"Please don't make me feel well. I deserve that you hate me right now."

"I don't," he said strongly. "Can I ask for an explanation, though. It's not that I don't know already, but I want to hear it from you."

I gulped heavily, the nervousness showing again. "I'm going to Dartmouth this Sunday."

He arched an eyebrow. "Is this only about Dartmouth?"

"Yep." I lied, now my eyes going unconsciously to the floor so he wouldn't notice.

"He doesn't have any part on this matter?" The words showed a hidden angriness he was trying to suppress speaking lightly.

And I knew who he was talking about, exactly. But I couldn't say it. "Jacob is already dead to me."

He suddenly took my face in his hands and commanded my eyes to look up at his. "I'm not talking about him, Bella."

"Oh," I made a face. "W-who else can it be?"

He sighed deeply, his hands still firm in my cheeks. "Edward doesn't have anything to do with this? It isn't about what you feel for him?"

_Of course._ Of course he knew. "Edward is my friend." I managed to choke out.

"Bella…," he frowned and shook his head. "You are really insulting me."

I frowned at him unconsciously, and my brain started searching everything I had said, looking for something that could have insulted him. But it came up with nothing.

"I didn't do that!" I complained, taking my face off his hands.

He laughed, a bitter as lemon laugh. "I really thought you thought I was more intelligent," he sighed deeply. "Do you really think I buy the 'it's only my friend' thing?"

"I—" I trailed off. My eyes dropped instantly to the muddy ground, a fire suddenly burning my cheeks. "It doesn't matter anymore, I'm leaving Forks." I ground my teeth together, trying to stop the unstoppable pain that was once again corrupting all my senses.

"Why are you so masochistic, Bella?"

"I'm _what_?" I made a face. I was sure many things, but I didn't know one was masochistic.

He sighed deeply, his eyes suddenly lost in some place of the space. "Why you have to always suffer when it's unnecessary? Why don't you realize you deserve happiness?"

I flinched, unable to say anything. Was that what was all about? That I thought I didn't deserve happiness? My mind went some hours back when I was saying the same thing to my father. But I was doing everything so wrong right now, I was sure that like this I didn't deserve happiness.

But I didn't want to say it to him, I really didn't want to tell him about my almost kiss with Edward. It would be too much. So as the chicken I was, I said nothing at all.

We stayed quiet like that for an immense time, staring to each other faces and then to nowhere in particular.

Some time he broke the impossible silence, though the air was still tense. "I may take a break of dating," he mumbled. "I really need to solve other things in my life right now."

I nodded quietly. I sure needed the same.

"Besides," he continued, his features almost showing a wince. "You were the only girl worth it in this town. The others are stupid."

"No, I'm sure not," though Lauren and Jessica proved me wrong. But one name came strongly to my head, and for how his face shined in that second, I knew the same name appeared in his mind, too.

"Yeah, you are probably right," he smiled timidly. "You are not."

I smiled then. Something made me think that my relationship with Jasper was merely starting instead of ending. As if our true relationship was beyond romance, as if we had been made to support each other, talk and laugh. As if he was the big brother I never had, or sometimes… the little one.

I wasn't scared anymore that he would be miserable, because I knew he wouldn't. That same name appeared strongly behind my eyes. And even though she was the one that claimed to able to see the future, I knew, now, that my prediction was too strong.

We continued talking randomly, just trying to dissipate the tense air. Trying to say 'good-bye' in a not so difficult way. It seemed as if hours had passed, and passed fast. When twilight was starting, it was obvious that the real time had come.

"So…," he sighed deeply, staring at my face.

"Yeah…," I sighed back, hearing the hidden words.

"Take care, Bella." He smiled, taking my hands in his. "I won't forget you, you know?"

I smiled at him, half heartedly. "You don't have to, I'll be seeing you in the break. Okay? And I hope when I come back, you'll have already arranged you things with your mother and you'll have already told you father that you prefer football and cooking instead of boats. Alright?" I arched an eyebrow playfully.

He bit his lip and nodded. "Alright." His eyes posed then intently on mine. "And _I_ hope you find out that you don't deserve misery, and that you still have time. Alright?"

Even though my chest was cracking again, I didn't take my hands of Jasper's ones. "Alright." I managed to breathe. "Jasper?"

He looked up at me. "Yes?"

I needed to say this. "I'm sorry, I really am." I spoke in almost a whisper, but I was sure he caught it.

He came closer to me, his eyes intently on mine, his lips coming closer to mine. I stayed in shock for some seconds, unable to move… With a fast movement he changed the way and gave me a soft kiss in my left cheek. He laughed softly. "Don't be, you've truly helped me, Bella, even if you don't realize it now."

I let him hug me, and then, after a quiet but very meaningful good-bye, we walked through different paths to reach our cars. But there I vowed again that our paths would meet in some time, in some place. And I would see him happy with the girl he deserved, with his problems with his mother fixed, and being the best Chef of this town.

I drove back to my house slowly. Thinking of how good this went, and how things could go well if I did the right thing. Even if I had promised Jasper that I knew I still had time to follow my heart, things would go too wrong if I did what it commanded me. Even if the command was overpowering every inch of sense I still had in me.

When I entered to my house, Charlie was already ready, all clean and perfumed. And I could only smile at him, happiness again filling me as I saw my father fulfilling what he wanted.

He was talking through the phone, in the living room, and his face showed a pain that it didn't quite go with the nice situation.

"Who was it, dad?" I said warily when the call ended. I sat in front of him in the coffee table, folded my arms across my legs and placed my chin on my knees.

He sighed heavily; his eyes were trying to compose from the pain. "It was a call from Dartmouth. They say there is a big meeting made to get to know others, and that's highly important that you go." He seemed to be quoting the exact words.

"Okay," I shrugged. Why would they call to only say that? "Of course I'll go, no problem. Anything else?" I mouthed as his eyes would give him up.

"The meeting is this Thursday." He finished, speaking each word slowly.

"Oh," was all I could say until my chest crashed again. I tried to compose myself, though now it seemed completely impossible.

He scrutinized my face worriedly. "You don't have to go though; you can still go this Sunday."

I shook my head. Clenching my legs to my chest I tried to stop the unstoppable force that was trying to shatter it in pieces. It was difficult to speak, but I tried anyway. "What difference would do three days, I was going anyway."

He dropped his eyes to the floor, and I was sure he wanted to hide the immense pain that this decision produced him. "Okay, if it's what you want…"

"It is," I tried to convince him… and me. In that same time a horn sounded outside the house. "Now go, dad. You don't want to make her wait in your first date."

"Nah, I'll tell her to leave it for another day. You are leaving me in a couple of days."

"Dad!" I cried. "I won't ever leave you, don't say that again!"

He smiled half heartedly. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Good. Now go!" I ordered him, pointing the door with my finger.

"Yes, ma'am." He chuckled. And then his eyes became young again, as if he was remembering something. "Bella, I want you to know that I will never forget her. She's never been just a woman for me. And a piece of my heart will always belong to her. Okay, little girl?"

Even though he didn't say the name, I knew exactly who was he talking about. And deep down, I was relieved that I heard him say it. It was something that I needed to know.

I nodded and give him a kiss in his cheek. "Go, tiger. Sue is waiting." I winked at him.

"'You sure you don't want me to stay with you?" He stared at me intently, trying to find the tiniest of hints that would tell him I wasn't.

So I composed my face as I had never done. "A hundred percent sure. Now, go!"

With a smile and a 'have a good night' he walked to the door and out of the house. But it seemed as if he was flying, instead.

I stayed in the coffee table for longer than necessary, only hearing the 'tick-tock' of the old clock placed in one of the walls. I was going away in two days. I was leaving the town I had grown up and I had learned to love, behind me. I was leaving everyone I loved behind me too. I was…

But I couldn't continue, I knew where this trail of thought was leading, and I wouldn't manage to think it without having another panic attack.

With shaky legs, I decided to go asleep early. I wasn't in the mood for eating anything, or tell anyone about the change of plans. Besides, tomorrow I needed to make all the arrangements so I needed to rest well. None of them were the primordial reason, but as I was so good at lying to myself, I let it be.

I went straight to the bathroom and took a long shower, relaxing my all too tense muscles. I stayed in it until the water came out cold. With a pout I went out of the shower and peeped at myself in the mirror…

So here I was, eleven years after I had seen myself in this same mirror. Here I was with my long brown hair, with my too average features and body. Here I was with the most complex mind I had never thought I would have. Here I was saying good-bye to all that I had always wanted.

The pain in my chest gave me time to run to my room and dress with my Oasis sweat. But after that, I collapsed to the floor, my hands holding tightly all my body. I tried to breathe deeply, trying to dissipate the pain that was this time hurting every pore of my body.

I rocked myself in the woody floor, whispering my lullaby again and again. Though it wasn't my voice the one I wanted to hear when singing that song, and it wasn't my arms the ones I wanted to be holding me tightly now.

I was going to scream for the pain, when I heard something coming from the window. With now scared eyes, I looked up. My mind overworking in what it could found there. A serial killer, maybe. Well, so come in! I was sure my face would be so pathetic right now that he would feel pity and go back from where he came.

"Ouch," I heard more clearly. It was evidently a man's voice.

Now with my heart racing, and scare consuming me, I stood. _Alright, Bella. You have seen 'CSI'; just hit him with the bedside lamp, _my mind commanded me_._ With shaky legs I went to my bedside table, unplugged the lamp, and took it in my hands with determination.

"I can do this, I can do this," I kept repeating to myself as the 'Ouches' sounded closer. I walked in tip toes to my window, my heart raising with the scare, my breathing going heavier as the sounds came from closer and closer…

I saw the shadow of a figure reflected in the woody floor, and with that I lifted the lamp up, ready to attack.

"Ahh," the figured and me shouted at the same time as we stared at each other. With the adrenaline I dropped the lamp that landed in the floor with a big _CRASH!_

Then, as if realization had suddenly hit us completely, we shut up. And now my heart beat with violence, but not for scare precisely. Not for scare at _all_.


	32. Chapter 26 Part 2

Here is THE chapter :P Hope I have made it justice! Sorry for the errors, specially on this one. Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate it!!! And just so you know, I won't be able to write more in less than two weeks because I'm going on vacations. Enjoy, and please comment back!!!

_PREVIOUSLY ON UNTIL IT HAPPENS:  
I saw the shadow of a figure reflected in the woody floor, and with that I lifted the lamp up, ready to attack._

"Ahh," the figured and me shouted at the same time as we stared at each other. With the adrenaline I dropped the lamp that landed in the floor with a big CRASH!

Then, as if realization had suddenly hit us completely, we shut up. And now my heart beat with violence, but not for scare precisely. Not for scare at all.  


**Chapter 26 – Part 2**

It took me some seconds to breath again. I was starting to feel the lack of oxygen in my lungs, but for a brief time, my body didn't seem to be able to react. The figure that was on the other side of the window had left me completely perplexed.

"E-Edward…?" I stared at his eyes clueless; they were filled with a thousand of emotions. "What are you doing here?"

My best friend was still grasping the frame of my window, being careful not to fall. "Bell, er, can I come in and tell when I'm touching the safe land, again? I really don't want to die so young." He gulped heavily; his eyes scanned the place where he was standing with fear.

"Oh," I mumbled at the same time I went to help him. I really hadn't thought of the actual place he was standing, and what could have happen if he hadn't been that strong, or if the lamp had crashed _him_ instead of the floor. My legs suddenly shook with fear. "Edward, how could you be so stupid?!" I complained as his legs were already touching me floor. Though I was pissed off, my mind gave me the time to remember what I was doing with my hands, who was I touching.

"I didn't want Charlie to see me so late," he explained while adjusting his jeans with his hands. "But I guess we had already woken him up. At least the shouts did. Why the hell were you carrying a lamp? What were you going to do with it, throw it to my head?" He shook his head in disbelief and sat in my bed, all too comfortable.

I folded my arms across my chest and shook my head some times; maybe that would help me understand this bizarre situation. "I actually was. I mean, are you crazy? How could you even think of entering from the window? You could have gotten yourself killed!" I yelled at him, too freaked out to only talk.

"Hey, hey…," Edward stood up from my bed in a second and went to my side. He brushed my hair with his palm. And I gulped strongly, my body filling once again with that amazing feeling. "I'm sorry, okay? Don't be so upset, I'm alright." He said softly, his eyes so intently on mine that I had to look away.

With that he sighed deeply and went to the other corner of my room. He put his hands inside his jeans' pockets and lay across the wall. The sight of him like that covered every inch of my skin with goose bumps. He looked like an angel, a rebel angel.

When my mind discovered where my thoughts were leading, I stiffened. I couldn't let this happen, I couldn't let my heart interfere in this. I couldn't become a monster.

"Why are you here, Edward?" I tried to sound completely unemotional, though my body was filled with so many emotions right now, that I thought it would burst.

Even if the room was illuminated only by the light of the full moon, I could still see the flinch of pain that flashed across his face. "I didn't know I needed a reason," he muttered lowly.

I gulped again; the staying-unemotional thing was starting to become pretty difficult. "Well, you need if you show up at this hour, and even more if you do it by the window."

He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Bella. I really didn't want to disturb you; I just didn't want Charlie to worry."

"Charlie isn't here," I said fast, ignoring the sweet tone of his voice.

"He's not here?" I could see his eyes widening in a way I didn't like. Or maybe… in one I irrational enjoyed too desperately.

I shook my head, but it wasn't my head the only one shaking right now. My whole body was.

"Good…," he breathed as he started walking to me. "Because I need to talk to you."

My heart started beating with violence, again, as he was almost approaching me. I needed an excuse to avoid the closeness – it would be just too much. With feet that weren't mine I ran to the broken lamp and took it in my hands.

"This needs cleaning." I started walking to the door, my eyes in the space, my pace sure.

A warm hand suddenly grabbed me by my wrist. And again that electric sensation overcame me little by little.

"You can clean up later, Bella." He sighed and took the lamp off my hands, even though I was grasping it with all my strength.

"I—" I was disconcerted; the closeness was making my brain collapse. Even if my eyes were glued to the woody floor, I could still feel his stare intent in my face. And I was afraid to look up.

"I broke up with Jessica," he said slowly, each word distinct.

And my heart suddenly stopped. My eyes going irrationally to meet his. "Y-you _what_?"

"Jessica and I – it's over." His features traced the relief he felt. And his eyes were suddenly sparkling.

"Y-you are not with Jessica anymore?" I sure looked as if my brain had reached its end –and maybe that was right.

"No, I'm not."

"Are you being serious?" I mumbled incoherently, I wasn't sure if he had listened.

"More than I've ever been." He put himself in a way that let no other escape than look directly into his eyes.

This would change things so completely. Now I wouldn't be a monster anymore, now I would be able to take a chance, to follow my heart's path. With that thought and for the briefest of times, I let my feelings flow… We stayed connected in that same universe only he and I would fit. But then I cringed away, when my mind recreated what was going to happen with me in two days.

"Bella…?" Edward said worriedly, I was sure my face wasn't anything nice right now. Even if I was giving him my back.

"_Why_?" I breathed, trying to fight the invisible force that was pulling the corners of my lips in a big smile.

I felt him so close to me in that second, that it was as if there was no air between us. His breathing was caressing my hair in such a way that should be illegal.

"Do you really have to ask?" He said in a whisper.

"Y-yes," I choked out, even if the words were already buried deep down my body.

He stayed silent for some moments; some that felt a complete lifetime. And then, he spoke again, slowly, determined. "Because I didn't feel anything for her, Bella. Because I was unhappy. Because I always wanted her to be someone else when I kissed her, and then, as would I open my eyes again, I would never find that one I would love my lips to be touching. Because I couldn't stand feeling that anymore, I couldn't."

Even if his words were crumbling each inch of my body, I tried to speak. "So there is someone you want your lips to be touching?" But it wasn't my mouth the one doing it; it was my heart.

"Yes, there is. And she's completely amazing. Only by touching her hand I can feel a thousand times more than by doing everything I have done with Jessica in only one night." His voice was so sweet… his words destroying every reason I had come up with that would never lead me to him. I couldn't let this happen; I couldn't do this to him when I was going away in two days.

But I couldn't help it, either. My body, my soul, my heart… all were craving for him. It was an agonizing feeling. With each second, the pain of not seeing his face right now, the pain of not touching his arms, was killing me a bit more.

So I followed what my heart was telling me to do. "I broke up with Jasper."

He stayed quiet for some seconds, maybe trying to figure out if I had really said that or if he had invented it himself. It sure looked as a crazy movie, anyway.

"You broke up with Jasper?" I could feel joy forming in his tone. And even if I needed to be strong right now, I couldn't help feeling happy.

I nodded slowly, not knowing what else to say. And he stayed quiet too. Because everything was too obvious, because the two of us knew, deep inside, why the other broke up with their couple.

"Bella," he breathed again. "I really need to tell you something. It's more important than you think. It's crazy and maybe stupid and too many more things. But it's the truth, it's the only thing I'm completely sure of. And even if you are going away in five days, I need to say it. I need to shout it!" The strength of his feelings was evident in his deep voice.

And I just wanted to turn around and scream what I had realized yesterday, in Angela's birthday. Though it felt as if it had been already a month ago. Though what I realized it felt as if it had been inside me for a lifetime. As if it had been inside for eleven years.

"I'm going away in two days, Edward." I said in a weak whisper before he could say anything else. And although the salty water was already blurring my sight, and the hole in my chest was bigger than ever, I knew it was the best.

The silence that overcame the room it that second was something I never thought I would hear. It was filled with such a pain, such a longing, that it made me want to scream.

I was too afraid to turn around and face him. I didn't want to know which his expression was right now. I only wanted to remember him when he laughed, or teased, or smiled…

Some time, in this immense silence that felt almost surreal, I felt something warm in my back. I closed my eyes immediately, the butterflies coming in groups of thousands, spreading to every cell of my body. He placed his other hand in my back, his fingers brushing the fabric of my sweat.

My breathing was coming in such an uneven way, that I thought this time my friend the heart attack would really come. But he didn't. He just teased me so this situation would be even more intense, more private, more amazing… though those things seemed impossible. Because it was already perfect.

His hands traced my back slowly, as if he was saving every one of this touches deep in him. I sure was doing the same, not being able to think about any bad thing anymore. I was flying, high, to another universe, to another galaxy, where he and I could be together. Where nothing could ever break us apart.

His hands traced all the way to my belly, giving me little tickles of pleasure all over my system. I suddenly felt a warm air next to my ear, and then I understood it was his mouth making the path to reach my neck. He brushed his lips to the skin of my neck, making me gasp in response. I was flying so high that I thought my legs would come off the floor. The kisses were stronger, giving with each second passing by, more electricity to my whole body. And then, when he reached my ear, he stopped.

"I'm in love with someone that would always listen to me no matter what. That would never, ever judge me. That would stand by my side even when I'm wrong. That would tell me the truth even when it hurts. That would understand I'm thinking only by looking into my eyes. That would make me read the same book she loves again, and again. That would laugh at how cheesy I am sometimes. That wouldn't care hurting my feelings to say I look bad on something, but would always try to say it in the best way, anyway. That would help me fight for what I want, never let me give up.

" I'm in love with the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, that would look better in her pajamas than in a night dress all dressed up. I'm in love with the girl whose laugh is the most adorable, dorky laugh I've ever heard, but that would only make me love her even more. I'm in love with the only girl I would always love to make love with, because is the only one I'd be able to make love to, because is the one I'll ever really love. I'm in love with the girl I know is completely blushing right now with my last words, and again, that would only make me love her even more. She is the girl I've dreamed several times that I would kiss her, that I would tell her how much I loved her. She's the girl that made my whole world crumble when I found out she had dreamed the same about me. She's the girl I'd never, ever be tired if I'd have to take care of her, even if she was completely drunk. The girl I'd always love to be by her side, and I'd try every single day to be the best day of her life. Because if I'm with her, it's the best day of my life. I'm in love with my best friend, Bella. I'm in love with _you_."

With an impossible strength I turned around. Our eyes met in a way they had never done before. Impossible intense. And then, in the fraction of a second a shooting star would cross the sky, our lips met in the middle of air.

Everything disappeared completely. Everything crumbled in our surroundings, only him and I were standing in that tiny space in the middle of my room. Everything else was gone.

Our lips were connecting in such a way, that for seconds they seemed to be one. My hands grasping his neck, his at each side of my face - bringing us closer. The kiss that was first so soft and careful, just mere touches between our desperate lips, was gaining more strength and fierceness with each second passing by. It seemed as if we were trying to tell each other everything we were feeling by corporal expressions. It is said there are things that can't be put in words, and this was our case. There were too many the things we felt, and the only way, was letting our bodies, our hearts ands souls, to tell them.

He suddenly moved his hands to my waist and lifted me up with an impossible movement. With inhuman speed he crushed me to the wall that was just feet behind me a moment ago.

My hands, were now, too determined to get as much of him as possible. So were his hands, tracing my body with devotion and at the same time careful as if I were some kind of goddess. He sure was my god.

We couldn't talk; we could only breathe each other's name. Whispering and screaming them all in one. Our breathings were so uneven that it had made a fast, unique rhythm, together. My heart was pounding so strongly that it resounded in my ears, so was his; I could hear his fast heartbeats even through the loud noise our breathings were making.

He suddenly pressed his body against my own, and I couldn't stop a moan that was coming off my lips with fierceness. The feeling of our bodies so connected, so together, sent a spark of electricity to every pore of my skin. Making them feel more alive than ever, making my body feel in impossible ways. I had never felt something like this before… And here I was, experiencing it for the first time with the person I would feel the safest, with my best friend, with the man of my dreams. With the love of my life.

Our hands seemed to have a life on their own; they kept knowing every part of our bodies. Too determined to know more, and impossible to stop. I needed to see his face, to know that it wasn't a dream, or a bad joke of some god. I needed to know it was him, Edward Cullen, the one I was feeling as a part of me.

So, I opened my eyes a tiny bit, just to find out he was staring back. His emerald green eyes, dark with desire and light with love. The unique color they had right now, was taking my breathe away – even more than it was already. It seemed as if he was looking o every inch of my face, memorizing every cell that formed it. His stare was so intense, so deep, that I had to pull away some inches, feeling too self conscious.

"Sorry," he breathed huskily and placed his forehead on my cheek.

I hugged his head with my hands, not being able to stop touching him. Fearing he might disappear if I did. I laughed distorted for my lack of air at his apology, and without thinking it, my eager fingers requested his mouth. In the same second, our lips were moving in unison, again.  
His lips, then, released mine and went down the path to my neck – not breaking the contact between his lips and my skin for anything in the world, just like he did in Angela's birthday. The same thing that made my go completely crazy. With that feeling all inside me, I grasped his golden hair with my hands, bringing him even closer to me. Though it was impossible.

I suddenly remembered I didn't get the chance to actually tell him what I felt for him. Groaningly, I separated my mouth from his. He stared back at me with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm sure you already know what I feel," I said, gasping for air. "But I'm saying it to you anyway. I love you, Edward. You are amazing, inside and outside. You make me feel things I've never thought I could actually feel. I feel complete with you. You are not only the person I trust the most, but also the one that I need to survive. Thank you, E., for everything. I love you, Edward. I love you."

His eyes sparkled, the corners of his lips arched in a bright smile. He laughed once, with joy, and then took me in his hands and lifted me up. So now I was flying, flying in circles. Flying in the arms I felt the safest, the most loved.

We stayed like that for some hours that seemed almost like mere seconds. Strange how when you want time to pass by, it's all too slow. And then, when you are enjoying the time of your life, it passes by surreally fast.

We used those few hours to forget everything, to only enjoy the time together. To finish knowing each other, even if we already knew every inch of the other's soul. We laughed, and played, and touched, and felt… everything together. Everything so perfect that it was obvious it was going to end in some time.

Suddenly, when we our mouths were together again and us too abstracted from this world, the sound of a car appeared outside. We both jumped to our feet, completely disoriented. Edward was the first one to react, shaking me lightly.

"Bella, that must be Charlie. I need to go," he gasped, too agitated for the adrenaline also.

"No," I pouted, locking my arms around his shoulders.

He laughed and kissed my hair. "Come on, silly girl. You father can't see me here. No matter how much he loves me, I don't think he would like to know I was here with his daughter, at these hours, when he wasn't home—"

He trailed off when the sound of a lock opening appeared. And then, after kissing my forehead with the same devotion of before, he disappeared through my window. I stayed completely horrified for some seconds, trying to sharpen my hearing to see if something went wrong in his suicidal act. But as if he were a vampire, I heard nothing more than a light noise that meant someone had touched the grass again.  
I sighed in relieved, my legs already ready to go see him run to his car, but in that seconds deep steps resounded through the stairs.

"Bell…?" Charlie knocked the door of my room.

I tried to compose myself breathing deeply, and lay down in my bed. "Yes, dad?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Mhm," I smiled brightly. At least everything was.

"What was that noise?" He said warily. God, that instinct parents had was sometimes really frustrating. The noise was seriously nothing.

"Er, nothing. How went everything with Sue?" Apart from wanting to change topic desperately, I also wanted to know this.

He sighed, but the sigh showed happiness. "It went perfectly well, kiddo. It went awesome. Thank you."

I smiled brightly. Tonight, the stars were shining for the Swans. "I'm glad to hear that. Good night, dad."

"Good night, little girl." I heard his steps resounding in the woody floor and then a low shut.

With that I breathed deeply, staring at my ceiling. Feeling completely ecstatic. When my system was calmed again, my mind started thinking in everything that I did not want to think. And my stomach felt sick.

With an impulse and before the pain would crash me completely, I took the phone with determined hands and started to type.  
_  
'Please, Edward, just ask me to stay! If you ask me to stay, I'll stay, E. I don't care anything more than you; I could never live without you. I feel like I have found my true love and that one, you can only find it once. It doesn't matter if we are teenagers, Edward, I love you!!! Dartmouth would mean nothing without you, I can't go without you. And I'll do anything to be with you, please just ask me to stay. Please.'_

With my heart residing in my mouth I pressed Send. And like that I waited and waited, biting my nails, shaking my legs, clenching my hands in my hair…

But he never answered.


	33. Chapter 27

_**I'm so sorry for the long wait! Here it is Chapter 27. By the way, I passed all my finals and am officially in College (starting in some days.) Hope you like it, and reviews are highly appreciated! **_

_**Emma**_

**Chapter 27 **

"Bella, they will be here in any minute. Would you get ready, please?" Charlie said from the other side of my room's door. His tone had an edge of impatience and irritation.

I stayed lying in my bed with my arms folded across my chest. "You invited them, you entertain them."

He sighed from the other side of the door, defeated and worried. "What's wrong with you, Bell? Since you woke up you have been so down, so sad… Don't you want to go to Dartmouth?"

I breathed deeply, my hands finding in the same second my already too broken, too devastated heart. "Yes," was all I could choke out when someone knocked the front door.

"I'll go open, you get ready." Charlie ordered at the same time steps were resounding from the woody stair.

I breathed deeply, once, twice, and stood up. With the worst face I could have, I went to my wardrobe and chose the first thing I saw. Not caring if it suited me, if it was nice, if it was old fashioned. Anything.

"It's just a tiny meeting with your town friends, just that." I kept repeating to myself as I got dressed and ready.

Charlie couldn't have a better idea than inviting my town friends so I could say goodbye to all. The least I needed right now was seeing all of them so they could give me pity looks, or false 'I hope we see you again', or jealous acts.

The least I needed right was a tiny living room full of people that would only remember me of the only person I cared the most and wasn't there. Because I knew he wouldn't be coming, I knew he would put some lame excuse not to be with me today. So I wasn't giving myself any hopes. I was only going to talk the minimum so they wouldn't think I had gone crazy. No, not talk, only fake half hearted smiles so they would buy I was thinking of how much I would miss everybody, of how excited I would be to be in a different state, with new people, with new interests. And wouldn't question me.

The truth was, the only thing my mind could think of, was the pain I was feeling right now. It felt as if little needles were placed in the most painful places of my body. Worse, as if little needles were placed one by one in every cell that formed me.

"Bella," Charlie called from the other side, his voice more impatient, cutting my trail of thought. "Would you come down, please? Four of your friends are already here."

"Perfect," I mumbled incoherently as I finished fixing my hair in a poor ponytail.

"I'll be at my room. If you need anything just ask. Be good, please?" He sighed at the end.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure."

When I reached the living room, I couldn't believe my eyes; there were five teenagers sitting completely uncomfortable. Only two faces remained untouchable; Lauren and JesicASS. They were sitting in a corner of the room, in the big coach, seeing their nails, their cell phones, nothing but themselves.

In the other corner were Emmett and Alice sitting. And there was when I winced. There was when the pain invaded my system once again.

"Hey, Bella." Alice cheered, coming to my side. Her eyes were full of shame and angst, I could see that even if she had a thick mask of joy in her face.

"Hey," I breathed, containing the pain. "How are you, Alice?"

"Good…," she lied, her eyes would always give her away. "You know, Ed—"

"I know," I cut her off, I didn't know if I could manage hearing it. "He can't come, right?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes now meeting anything but me. "He went hiking. You know he likes that… right?"

"Right, right." But I never knew he liked hiking more than me.

"Bella, I need to talk—" Alice started when Emmett greet from across the room cut her off. For some reason I didn't understand I wanted Alice to finish her sentence, as if it was crucial.

But Emmett stood up and walked to me in that same moment. His face resembled to Alice's; he had that thick mask that would try to hide the same feelings of shame and angst.

"Hey, Bella." Emmett smiled, his smile so fake that it looked almost as a grim.

"Hi, Emmett." I breathed back, tired of this big, fat lie.

"So, I didn't know you were throwing a party. Where are the strippers, huh?" He laughed goofily.

I rolled my eyes; big, old Emmett. "They're hidden in the closet, waiting for the right time to come out. Go check if they haven't choked with the lack of air." At least my sarcasm wasn't lost.

Emmett and Alice stared wide eyes at me, shocked.

"All right, Bella. Maybe we should go sit down, now." Alice suggested, her features torn into an expression of worry. I stared back at her, trying to decipher by her eyes what she wanted to tell me before. She looked right back at me; her eyes had suddenly gained five years old. "Later," she mouthed to me.

My heart raised with the intrigue. Alice and Emmett started going to the sofa. When I was about to start walking behind them, I remembered who were sitting in the other corner of my living room. And with that, I diverted my walk to meet them.

"Umm, hi?" I said incredulous. How did they get here?

Jessica looked up at me, and even if her eyes were meant to show fake enthusiasm, I could see the real angriness and sorrow in their depths.

"Hi, Bella." She said with her unbearable voice. "We are here to tell you goodbye, because you are not coming back, right? For now, I mean." She corrected herself giggling evilly.

When I was about to answer her someone knocked the door. Jessica was lucky that the door saved her. I took a deep breath; I was being barely myself right now.

Angela and Mike were both on the other side of door, their expressions showed the real sadness they felt. And for a fraction of a second I forgot about Edward, for a fraction of a second I only thought of how much I would really miss my friends.

They both hugged me before I could blink, and even if I had never liked physical contact so much, I needed this. I needed my old friends to come rescue me from my misery today.

"Hey, buddies." I laughed as they wouldn't let go off me. And for this second, my laugh was genuine. Angela let go off me in that moment, she tried to hide her sorrow by looking at the floor. But I knew her just too well.

Mike was still hugging me, though. His friendly hug went from being friendly… to something not so friendly and much more private. His hands were tight on my back, one too near from my butt.

And there is when I remembered why I had lost contact with Mike, because even if I didn't want to recognize, I deep down knew, that it wasn't the same for him. That he actually had always expected more than friendship from me.

With that thought wandering inside my head, I broke away from him.

"Come inside," I said as I closed the door.

I stayed there, laying on the door, just watching all of them act. Angela stared right back at me when she passed next to Jessica and Lauren.

"WHAT?" She mouthed, shocked.

"Tell me about it," I mouthed back, sighing heavily.

Mike and she went to sit beside Alice and Emmett, they started talking in that moment, even laughing a bit.

But I couldn't go, because I couldn't laugh. I was feeling like the stars that were so far from the Earth, that even if they were dead since many years ago, we still wouldn't notice. I felt like that, as if I were already dead in my inside but my heart and brain and my whole boy would still work.

Why didn't he come? Why didn't he answer the message? Did he hate what happened? Did he finally realize he was too much for me? Too perfect?

"Bella, the door!" Alice shouted to me, her hands impatient at her sides. "It's passed like five minutes since I'm trying to talk to you!"

"Sorry," I mumbled, clearing my head by shaking it softly. My heart rose stupidly. As if it were waiting so badly for it to happen that by only hearing the sound of a knock, it would react. But my brain knew perfectly well the way in which Edward knocked the door of my house, and it wasn't in this way.

Even if I already knew it wasn't happening, my eyes filled with disappointment as I saw Jasper and Rosalie on the other side of the door.

"Hey, Bella," Jasper smiled and pecked my cheek.

"Hi," I said to both. Though for some reason I was happy Jasper was here, as if in our short relationship we had connect in a way that I hadn't with most of the people I knew since I was little.

As with Mike and Angela, they passed by me and went to sit in two chairs next to the Cullens. Rosalie and Emmett were already holding hands, looking into each other's eyes as if nothing else existed in the world. And my stomach felt sick.

I ran to the kitchen, looking for something to do that would distract me. I started putting in a tray the homemade food someone had done for today. I was sure it hadn't been Charlie… but maybe Sue? I smiled to myself; at least someone would cook healthy food to him when I would be away.

I delayed as much as possible, trying to concentrate in the mechanized movements and not in the happy couple that was sitting just feet far from me.

Someone knocked the door, and I held my breath.

"It's Ben, Bella. I'll go answer!" Angela said excited.

"Ugh," I grumbled as I put the cheese sandwiches in a plate. My frustration was so big that some sandwiches ended up a bit disintegrated.

"Come on, Bella. Just fake a smile and everything will go okay." I breathed to myself as I finished with the jam sandwiches.

But it was still hard when I entered to the living room again, now two couples holding hands and giggling. I placed the tray in the table, trying with all my forces not to reveal what I really felt and still faked that stupid mask.

"You need help?" Jasper asked, standing up from the chair.

I shrugged at him, I really didn't care. I walked back to the kitchen and felt footsteps right behind.

I opened the fridge looking for something to drink. Apparently, Charlie had bought some sodas too. I put two on another tray and went to reach for the glasses. I needed to be in tiptoes to reach the cupboard and Jasper came to save me.

"You want help?" he chuckled as he started taking the glasses without waiting for an answer.

I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the counter. "I don't want it, but I need it." I stared at the floor, the fire already burning my cheeks.

I felt him beside me, in the same position. He sighed deeply, he didn't say anything but I felt as if I were telling everything in this silent conversation. I felt as if I wanted to hug him but not because I felt something for him, only because I needed him…

Though it wasn't exactly _him_ who I needed or wanted.

"Cullen isn't here…," he mumbled, trailing off.

"Clever boy," I said as he wouldn't continue. And then I wanted to kick myself, why was I acting like such a b*tch?

He didn't seem to take it so badly, he laughed casually and stared down at me. "Why isn't Cullen here?"

"You think I would be here if I knew?"

"And why don't you ask him?" he pushed, frowning.

I turned my back at him, my eyes dropping alone to the floor, my hands finding immediately my chest. "Because he obviously doesn't want to talk to me, if not he would be here. Don't you think?"

"Why is that boy so stupid?" he laughed bitterly. "Seriously, I sometimes think I should give him a chance and go talk to him, maybe we could be good friends. And when these things happen is when I realize we would never be."

I breathed deeply. "How can you even think it twice? He is so amazing… I would never doubt being her friend."

"That's because you love him, Bella. I don't love him, luckily." He chuckled lightly, but I couldn't laugh back. I felt too dispirited.

I felt so weak, that a little wind could destroy me completely. Rip me into little pieces.

"Does it matter, now? I'm leaving tomorrow."

He sighed and made me turn around with his hand in my arm. "Always the same with you, Bella. You seemed more determined last time we… talked. What happened, why are you so sad, again?"

"Because Romeo doesn't exist!" I faltered at the end, my eyes already glistening with tears.

He stared down at me, his features torn. "No, he doesn't. But yours does. And you know that, don't you?"

I looked up at him, his eyes seemed so wise as he comforted me. And again I silently cursed myself for having once thought wrong about him. Nothing ever really is what it seems.

"I knew it before, I don't know if I know that now." I sighed again, exhausted of my stupid mind.

Jasper sighed too. He took my face in his hands, commanding my eyes to meet his. "Look, Bella," he said. "It's not always so easy. Sometimes things are so strong, so deep, so amazing, that are scary. And not everyone is that strong to endure them."

"But—"

"It's not because we don't want to that we sometimes back off. It's because we can't, because we are scared." He finished softly, slowly.

I looked into his eyes to see if I could find the slightest sight of doubt, but he seemed so convinced of what he was saying, that I found none.

"Have you ever backed off?" my voice was almost a whisper.

He stared at an invisible point, far away, and then looked back at me. "I haven't fought enough. But just because she had already found her Romeo." He smiled half heartedly.

I stayed frozen for a second before I could speak again. My voice came out distorted nevertheless. "Maybe because she wasn't your Juliet."

"Maybe…," he smiled again.

"Hey, there," Alice said, coming to the kitchen. "I was looking for you, Bella."

"I know, me too." My heart rose again, as if remembering the 'Later' Alice had said a while ago.

She stared at Jasper for a moment, her eyes lost in his face, and then she stared back at me, focused again.

"Maybe I should go…," Jasper said, already walking to the door when he sensed the air was too thick.

"No, no, Jasper. You can stay." Alice smiled at him. And it felt so genuine, so easy.

Jasper splashed his hands to his jeans and leaned against the counter. Something seemed to amuse him, he was smiling, but the corners of his lips weren't arched… it was his eyes.

I cleared my head shaking it slowly; I was seeing love bugs everywhere today. And it was actually frustrating.

"Could you please talk, Alice?" I pleaded as she kept on staring at me. Her eyes doubtful.

"I just don't know how to say it…," she said truthfully, her hands finding her temple as she thought.

I sat on a chair of the kitchen, already feeling as if I were about to choke. I tried to concentrate myself in a dark spot on the floor… but when I remembered who had done it a year ago, I turned my eyes at her again.

"Just say it, Alice. Say it at once." I pleaded again, too tired, too hurt.

"It's just that…," she stared at me, looking for the right words. "He looks as if he is dead."

I frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, her eyes finding her hands, worried. "I don't know, he doesn't want to go out of his room. I don't know if he has eaten, either."

I stood up, adrenaline flying through my veins. "Why didn't you tell me before, Alice?" I was mad now, my head spinning around for all the things that were flashing through it at the same time.

I didn't know what I was doing, but my feet were leading me to my kitchen's door, and my mind was already revising where could I have put my car keys.

"Because he told me he didn't want to see you."

I stopped abruptly, my hands finding the mark of the door, my fingers grasping it with all my strength so I wouldn't fall down in that second. Because everything spun around.

"Bella…," Alice cried behind me. But I couldn't turn around, I didn't feel my heart anymore. And the only thing my mind would do would be repeat those horrendous words again and again. _Because he told me he didn't want to see you._

I screamed loudly, crazily. Frantically, desperately. "GET OUT! ALL OF YOU, JUST GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" I couldn't handle it anymore, I shouted again. "GET OUT!"

They all stared at me, their eyes wide with surprise and scare.

"Bella…," Mike started walking towards me, his eyes fixed in mine as if he understood.

Hell he didn't. "No, Mike. Just go, please. I'm sorry, but I need to be alone." I breathed deeply, looking down to the floor. "Thank you for coming, really. But now, please leave."

Everyone stayed quiet for some seconds, the silence was so thick with questions that it could have easily been cut with a knife. Slowly, they all started moving to the door, with the usual "Hope you feel better soon," or "Have a nice life," or even some "She's a crazy freak." For the irritating voice, I knew that one had to be JessicASS.

That is what I was imagining it could happen if I'd scream as I wanted to. While my heart seemed to be cracking little by little. Piece by piece. It all flashed so fast through my head, that Alice was still talking to me when it ended. Still pleading.

"If you talk to him, he'd realize everything he already really knows, Bella. Just please—"

"Just please go." I managed to say in a mere whisper. "I need to be alone."

With that I walked to the living room as a civilized human being.

"Guys, I'm sorry, but I need to go pack…," I sighed heavily, as if I didn't want them to go.

"Oh, don't worry, Bella. We understand." Angela was the first one standing up, maybe because she was always thinking of the others… maybe because she knew me just too well. "Text me when you are there, all right? I'll see you very soon, right?"

"Right," I smiled at her. She hugged me strongly and I hugged her back.

I felt moisture in my eyes but I didn't want to look as a whiner little girl, so I broke apart fast from her. "I'll miss you, Ang."

"I'll miss you too." She pouted, cleaning her steamed glasses.

Ben hugged me after her. "Take care, Bella."

"Yeah, you take care of my friend. I'm watching." I threatened, smiling at the end. But the smile was so weak, that I was sure it looked as a grim.

"I sure will," he finished, taking her hand. And I somehow knew he always would, I wasn't scared of him ripping her heart out, I knew he loved her just too much to hurt her.

I looked away, finding anything but their show of love in front of me. Angela opened the door fast and they waited outside.

JessicASS, Lauren and Mike came next. And even if my whole body was aching, my mind had the space to think that this should be funny.

Her eyes were petulant as she approached me, but then, for a second, they were understandable. Maybe because she realized there was at least one thing we had in common; we loved the same man, the same man that had broken our hearts.

"Goodbye, Bella." She said with her high-pitched voice. Huh, I'd miss it in some way, I guessed. "I hope you do well." And even if it sounded ridiculously false, it truly felt as if she had meant it.

"Thank you, Jessica. I hope the same." I smiled at her. Suddenly, as if she had realized her stone heart had melted a bit, she put that petulant face in herself once again, and with the nose up she went outside. Lauren followed her with a quick "Bye," to me.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with Mike's way to touch me a bit more, so before he would bend down to reach me in a hug, I stretched up to hug him fast and break away.

"Goodbye, Mike. Hope I see you soon."

He stared at my eyes, his own drowning in misery. "I'll miss you really much, you know, Bella?" He smiled. "You really are unique, though you probably don't know it." It turned into a whisper toward the end. He bended down and pecked my cheek.

_I'm not as unique as for him to want me._ My mind added silently. When I was about fall to the floor for the pain, two strong hands caught me.

"You should rest, Bella. You almost fell." Emmett said kindly, placing me back stood.

"Thanks," I muttered. "I should."

He turned me around and took me in his arms in a big, strong bear hug.

"I won't cry; I'll see you soon." He pouted in my neck.

"E—mmett c—an't b—reathe." I choked out, smiling at the same time. Emmett would always be Emmett, I was so hoping he would never change.

"Oops," he grinned hugely as he placed me back on the floor. "Old times, old habits."

"You'll see me so many times that you'll be sick of me." I smiled at his happy eyes.

"I'm counting on that, Bella. I still know some things about you that I wouldn't want to tell…" He said in a whisper and laughed as I stared blankly at him. He messed my hair up and went outside.

"Take care, Bella." Rosalie smiled warmly at me, then. "I hope I had met you sooner, we would have been good friends."

"I'm still coming back, Rosalie." I convinced myself as I convinced her.

"Sure, we'll talk when you are back." She smiled and ran to Emmett's back.

I stared at Alice and Jasper, they seemed so different but yet so similar. I didn't know why I felt it, but I did. I took them both in a big hug. And now the tears didn't ask for permission, they just spilled.

Alice was sobbing silently, her arms stretched up to reach me. Jasper let one hand off me and placed it in Alice's shoulders, comforting her.

"Just go, please. I hate goodbyes. I promise I'll be back so soon that you will tell me to go away again." I cried, wiping away my tears with the back of my hands.

"Promise," Alice breathed, her eyes intent on mine. "Promise!"

"I promise," I spoke with a yarn of voice. "I promise I'll be back really soon. I can't leave you behind, you are too important to me."

She stretched her arms to hug me one more time, and then she broke away and went outside. Jasper following right behind, but before he left, he gave me another one of his wise smiles.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered before closing the door.

12 hours had never been so long in my life. They had never felt so dark, so empty. Every minute of the rest of the day had passed so slowly that it had been almost unbearable. He never did text, or call, or visit. I was so tempted to call him, but then I would remember Alice's words strong behind my eyes, and I would put the phone back when it was.

It was as if those beautiful hours we'd spent together were only a quick goodbye to a long journey that had started eleven years ago. At least I knew he was still breathing, and smiling, and teasing somewhere. Not with me, though. Not now, not ever.

But how could he lie to me so immensely? How could he not feel any of the words he so surely said to me that night? Those words that would appear in my head anytime my thick shell would be distracted. Those words that I was sure would haunt me for so long. How could _he _do me something like this? After everything he had said about Jacob, after all the times he had protected me. How could he be the one that hurt me so badly, so strongly? That had made a never healing wound?

The hours that had passed after my friends had gone away had been so difficult to live through, that I couldn't believe how I managed to survive. I even hadn't had the strength to spend time with my father, I had been shut in my room, unable to even pack my things.

Now I was lying on my bed, staring to my dark ceiling, waiting for the hours to rush so this pain could end. Just some more hours and I would be out of this tiny town. Some more hours and all my misery would be gone.

Yes, that was what I was trying to make my brain buy. But deep inside, I was completely sure that my misery had just begun hours ago. When our lips touched, when my hands traced his body and his traced mine…

I hided my face on my pillow, so that would reduce the noise of the screams that were too loud to contain inside, too painful. I screamed and cry, and screamed again. And after some hours… I could finally fall asleep.

"Bella…?" I heard somebody calling from my door, followed by a light knocked. "Bella it's almost eight. You have to wake up and pack your things."

"Mhm?" I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't think of how miserable I would be when opening them. I knew my so friendly brain would recreate everything that happened almost 48 hours ago. And I couldn't stand it.

"Come on, Bell. You have to wake up." I could identify the impatient voice of my father beside my woody door. I could just imagine him wrinkling his already wrinkled forehead.

I breathed deeply once, and slowly opened my eyes. "I'm coming, dad. Just give me a sec. I couldn't sleep well last night." I tried to speak even though the lump was already formed up in my throat.

"Oh," Charlie said warily behind the door. "Is because you are nervous?" But it sounded as if he wanted to say something else.

I placed my hands on my chest, trying to stop the pain that was little by little overcoming me. "Y-yeah, something like that." I lied.

Charlie breathed from the door, it again seemed as if he was going to say something, but then changed his mind. "All right, don't be. Everything will be okay. Start packing when you are ready, little girl. We have to be at the airport at four." It sounded as if he had started going away and then came back. "Oh, I almost forgot!"

"What?" I asked, my heart pounding faster. Stupid heart.

"They called from the travel agency, there is a flight that delays much less than this one. It takes off half an hour later. We are still on time, just let me know."

I thought for half a second. I really needed time alone in a plane, I didn't know if I would manage Dartmouth all together. I needed some time to acclimatize myself.

"No, that's okay. I prefer this one."

"All right, kiddo. Just get ready." He finished, walking away.

I packed everything almost without thinking it. The blue bags were already in my room. I tried my best not to think in the history every little thing had and just placed it inside the bag. I tried to work mechanically, robotically, only thinking of saving place and folding everything perfectly.

When an old box that was back in my wardrobe, fell to the floor, scattering everything that was on it.

I kneeled in the floor before the opened box. I remembered very well the day I had done it, when I was twelve and I had thought I was too mature to have some things.

I took the baby doll of my childhood in my hands, and brushed my fingers through her face. I had named it Renee after my mother. A smile started playing with my lips as I remembered how overprotective I always was of her, she was my little girl and I had to always protect her no matter what. Just like my mother had always done with me.

I took the lipstick my mother loved the most, one that I had once hided because I wanted to have some when I would be old enough to use it. I laughed, remembering, as a tear danced all the way down my face.

I stood up and went to the mirror. I applied some of the lipstick to my lips. It was a sweet pink, not too notorious, not too subtle.

"Now I'm old enough." I said to my figure in the mirror. I saw another tear escaping her brown eyes. I looked away from her, and my eyes found one more time the old box.

They found one little thing in particular, one that made my legs shake. I kneeled one more time before the box, and with trembled hands took the little Power Rangers' rubber in my hands.

"Oh," I cried as I placed it where once was my unbroken heart. "I hate you so much. So much."

But then the words changed alone, even if I was making my best not to say them. "I love you so much. So much."

It seemed like forever when the bags were already inside the car and Charlie closing the door of my house. Now everything was ready, everything but my heart.

I breathed deeply and got into the passenger's seat, not before giving a last quick look to my tiny house that would always be my home.

Charlie hopped into the car, his eyes on mine as he tried to decipher my face. I was sure it wasn't anything nice.

"Everything all right in there?" he said lightly, but I was sure he felt truly worried.

"Everything is… as it has to be." I stared at the front. That was for sure.

"Okey dokey," he started the engine and soon reached the driveway.

But he seemed to be going utterly slow. I had never felt the car touching the pavement in such an annoying, quiet way. But as if it was on purpose, my mind started going to other places, to other thoughts. To what I didn't want to think but I desperately needed.

I stared outside my window, memorizing the different sheds of green that coexisted together in nature. It seemed impossible that so many different things were the same at the end. As Edward and I, we had been so different since the very beginning when we met each other in my first day of school when we were seven. But those differences pulled us together instead of breaking us apart. The differences coexisted so we could find the similarities in each other, and so they became what we were. Because we were nothing without the other. _I_ was nothing without him. Just like the different sheds of green, they needed each other to form that amazing, beautiful landscape. Just as what we were when we were together. But not now, I couldn't have him now because I was going away, because this was the best.

And there I heard those words Jasper had told me on the park all too clear in my head, all too loud. He was right, so right that it seemed impossible. I was always trying to run away from happiness, but only because I was scared. I had always been afraid of happiness… because I'd always thought I wouldn't be strong enough to endure the time when happiness was gone. Because it always had to be gone some day, right?

_Right?_

"Dad, go back."

He stared at me for a second, and then with a smile, he turned around. "To the Cullens."

But it wasn't a question. "Yes," I choked out, my heart already beating with violence.

"I thought you would never ask," he smiled brightly as he sped through the streets as I would never imagine the Chief of Police would do.


	34. Chapter 28 Part 1

_**Here is the next chap. Part 1, as I promised. I hope you like it. Thank you for your comments, I really appreciate it. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 28 (Part 1)**

I was already thinking of everything I would say to him. First I would slap him strongly on the face. Yes, he deserved that. I would tell him how mad I was at him for not answering my message, for not coming to say goodbye. And third, when I would be sure no one was around, I would take his face in my hands and kiss him softly on the lips.

My stomach twisted as we were reaching the mansion. I was already biting my nails, hearing the possible explanation of why he did all this in my head. Because he was scared, as Jasper said… but he would fight today, I knew that. He would ask me to stay.

"We're almost there, little girl." Charlie sighed, happy.

"Yep," I breathed, my stomach twisting once again.

"What are you going to tell him?"

"Everything. Just everything."

Before my stomach could twist again, we were already there.

"I'll wait here." He smiled, encouraging me.

I nodded. After taking a deep breath I got out of the car. My legs for once determined to not give me to the ground and to let me fulfill my wish. I walked fast to the entry, almost ran.

I knocked twice before Esme opened the door. Her eyes sad and worried were talking to me, pleading.

"Oh Bella," she sighed, pulling me into the house with her gentle hand. "I'm so glad you are here!"

"Esme, I need to see Edward." My stomach was twisting again, the words going off my mouth all together. "Please."

She shook her head, her eyes meeting the floor, ashamed. "He—" she trailed off, and met my stare. "He doesn't want to see you, honey. I'm sorry."

And the words came like swords directly into my heart, once again. As if it had never heard it before, it hurt as much as the first time. I tried to put my hands in something rigid, something that wouldn't let me fall. But there was nothing near me. I clutched my feet to the ground. This wouldn't win me. I would go and talk to him.

I closed my eyes and spoke through my gritted teeth. "I'd rather he told me that personally."

She stared back at me in an immense inside debate. It seemed like hours when she spoke, but I knew there had only been seconds.

"All right," she said. "He will hate me, but I think I could live with that."

I nodded to her, thanking her through my eyes. And then my arms went alone to her shoulders and gave her a big hug. "Thank you, Esme. Not only for this but for every day you have been here for me. I could never thank you enough for that." My eyes filled with tears as I remembered all the times she had been the mother I needed and didn't have.

She hugged me more strongly. "You will always belong in here, Bella. Always."

I kissed her cheek and ran to the stairs, my legs trembling, my heart pounding with violence. I didn't stop till I met the shut door of his room. Alice and Emmett didn't seem to be here, but I knew he was.

I thought for some seconds. Should I knock first? Would he answer if I said who I was?  
But I couldn't waste any more time. I only had the three steps I had thought in the car present in my mind. First slap, then ask for an explanation, then kiss him.

I turned the bolt, suddenly gaining all the strength in the world, and opened the door. My eyes took some seconds to adjust to the dark place. And it felt so cold, so dead. The curtains were down, his bed remained untouchable. My eyes scanned the room I knew by heart, desperately. Though now it seemed the room of a stranger.

And then they found him. He was crouched in his coach. His eyes were red, his features torn. But he was still so beautiful, so perfect…

Everything I had thought crumbled. Every little reason to yell at him, to be mad at him disappeared when I stared into his emerald green eyes. His eyes widened completely when he realized who was there, waiting in the door.

"Bella…" he breathed deeply. His voice came out distorted for the lack of use.

"_Why_?"

He stared at my eyes in immense pain, immense misery. And then he lowered them to meet the floor. "I don't know what you mean, Bella." He mumbled, almost unintelligible.

"You don't know what I mean?!" I was almost yelling at him, at least I wanted to. But my voice felt too weak and it wouldn't endure such effort.

"No." He replied robotically, his eyes still glued to the dark mass.

I stared at him incredulous. I wanted to punch him with so much strength right now… but I was too weak for that, too. I leaned against the wall next to my back, afraid that my whole body would crumble if I didn't support on something.

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" My voice was almost as loud as a whisper.

He didn't answer. He went back to the coach where he was before, his movements as robotic as his previous state. And my stomach felt sick.

"What's wrong with you, Edward? What happened?" I pushed again, not giving up. I wasn't going to give up today. I started walking toward him and sat down at his side.

But it seemed as if I were a ghost before him. He didn't change his posture nor did he look at me. "Nothing happened, I'm just tired."

I laughed in disbelief; my voice came out distorted one more time. "Tired?" I shook my head. "So tired that you couldn't come to say goodbye to me?" I had to contain the tears inside my eyes, but it was getting more difficult with every second passing by.

He stayed quiet for a moment before he answered. "I was going to send you an email when you were there."

"An email?" I yelled this time, I found the strength somewhere. "AN EMAIL?"

He didn't even flinch at my tone, his stare was intent in the dark. "Yes. I mean, you were going to be back in some months, anyway, it's not like I would never see you again."

My chest cracked once again, though it already seemed impossible how it could keep cracking. The idea of seeing him again in some months was horrendous, devastated. I wanted to vomit but I was also weak for that. I thought for a moment, desperately, trying to find the one thing that would make him react, that would make him tell me something. And then I remembered.

"Did you see the message I sent you?" I would make him see sense. "Did you? Because I meant every word. Please tell me to stay and I'll stay. I will. I don't care about Dartmouth, I won't be happy there if I know you are here. I came here, today, to tell you that my heart is yours and if I go, it will stay here with you, anyway. Do you want me to die because I'm not near from my heart?"

He was as quiet as before and I was with every second that passed, even more hysteric. "Just please say something, please."

"What do you want me to tell you?" He muttered.

I stared at him, incredulous once again. "That you want me to stay! That I'm not staying in vain, that I'm staying because I think love is the most important part of life, Edward. Because I've finally found my Romeo!"

"I've already told you, Bella, Romeo doesn't exist."

I did the impossible to stop a moan of pain that was threatening to go out of my mouth. "You don't mean anything of this," I tried to breathe, to make my words audible.

He shut his eyes close, I could see that even in the darkness of the place. "I'm sorry, I do."

I tried to breathe again, though it felt as if I were choking. "Did your other words mean anything? Anything at all?" I chewed my tongue, praying silently that my brain wouldn't recreate them again and break me even more.

His answer delayed one more time. He grasped the coach we were in with tightened hands. "I was confused. I thought I felt something…," he breathed deeply, he was speaking through gritted teeth. "But then I realized we were just friends. Best friends."

This time I did moan in pain. The tears that I could once pull back were now unstoppable, determined to get as much of my skin as possible.

"What?" I breathed, broken. "You— don't—love—me?"

"No. I'm sorry, I don't love you in that way."

I stood up from the coach, finding the little strength I still had in some part of me, determined to get out of here. But it was so little, that I ended up falling to the dark floor. My whole body shook with the knock.

In that instant, two warm, too familiar, too amazing hands found me, pulling me up.

"Don't touch me," I muttered, shaking his hand off my arm.

He stared back at my eyes with an expression I couldn't decipher; it was a mix of many feelings. And then, slowly, he let off my arm.

I stayed in the floor for a moment, trying to breathe again. Slowly, I stood up. My whole body was aching, but I wasn't sure if it was because of the fell or because I was too devastated.

He remained standing a couple of feet far from me, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes shining in the dark. I wasn't ready to let go, I wasn't ready to leave him here and walk away.

But I had no other choice, either. He had stated it simple and sure, he didn't love me in that way.

I took a deep breath and stood up, ignoring my trembling legs.

"Can't I hold you, at least?" he gulped heavily when I was already standing. His eyes finding mine with desperation.

My breathing was so uneven because of the crying that it felt as if I had been running the whole day. I stared at his eyes, completely confused. Though I was trying to block the idea in my brain, I needed his touch as much as I needed to breathe.

"I—" I trailed off, unable to speak.

He gave a step toward me, then another one, when his hands had found mine, I spoke again. "I hate you." I cried, shaking my hands off him. I started walking to the door, my body so weak that I thought I wouldn't make it.

When I finally reached it, I looked back at him. I ignored the sorrow in the depth of his emerald green eyes, I knew it could never compare to mine. He didn't need me as much as he needed the air to breathe, he didn't understand what I was enduring.

"And _this_ time, I mean it!" I yelled at his face and slammed the door of his room.

I ran down the stairs, all my body trembling now. The tears were almost choking me, but I didn't care, I just wanted to get out of here. I couldn't let my brain remember everything I had lived here, inside these walls…

While I ran through the steps my unconscious side won and so I gave in to the memories. His laughter, so pure, appeared strongly behind my ears. It seemed as if it was happening right now, but I knew it was only my memory remembering the countless time his contagious laughter had made me happy, cheered my day.

I remembered all the scary movies he had made me see in his living room, in the big plasma. I remembered how little I had seen of all of them, always so comfortable and safe in his shoulder. I remembered how many times he had whipped my tears away, for laughter or for sadness. I remembered the jokes, the times we had cooked awful food, the pranks we had made to Emmett. I remembered the times he had made me practice swimming in his room, showing me how I should put my legs and my arms. And how every time I tried it, he would laugh so hard that I would always end up thinking he had peed on himself.

And then I remembered these past days, this past month that had been so crucial to my existence in this world. That had made it worth it.

When I reached the last step I remembered his last words. They were all coming in immense speed, in the highest volume behind my ears. He didn't love me, not in that way.

I ran to the door, ignoring Esme's eyes filled with tears. I couldn't even stop to hug her for a last time, I was going to die if I continued stepping the floor of this house.

I could only manage to say mumble some words as I passed by her. "Send hugs to Carlisle. Tell him thank you."

I didn't wait for her reply. I ran through the amazing porch and reached the car in impossible speed. I breathed deeply when I was inside, closing my eyes shut not to see my father's worried expression.

"What—"

"Not now, Dad. Please, just… let's go. I have a plane to catch."

Charlie started the car without saying a word. He drove through the roads in complete silence, only listening to my quiet sobs.

Before my mind could recreate any other painful scene, I took my cell phone in my hands and began typing. I didn't know why I felt the need to tell him, but I did it for some reason.

_You were wrong, I hadn't found my Romeo. At least he hadn't found his Juliet. See you in a couple of months. And really, thank you for everything. You are nothing like what I had expected the first day I met you in the bonfire. You are really one in a million.  
_

We reached Seattle in more or less the estimated time. Three excruciating hours that had felt like a whole life. I didn't know if I had been able to sleep, but after the first hour, it felt as if I had drowned in an immense darkness.

"We are here," Charlie announced as he pulled over in the parking lot of the airport. The gray concrete seemed to be coordinated with the white sky above us, full of clouds.

A young man that worked in the airport came to help us with the luggage.

"I've got it," Charlie muttered to red hair boy, taking the bags in his hands.

I rolled my eyes at him; he had always thought himself invincible. "Dad, they are a lot. Would you let him help?"

He sighed, defeated. "Fine. But for the record, I could do it by myself."

"Of course," I rolled my eyes one more time at him, and entered the freezing cold airport full of air conditioners.

"Just a little more time, a little more time." I kept repeating to myself as I did the check in.

"Have a nice day," the lady said too polite when she finished.

I sighed heavily. "I surely had the best of alls." I muttered under my breath, but I started walking away before I could see if she had heard it.

Charlie placed his arm in my shoulders as we walked to the departure zone, where we would have to say goodbye. We stopped when we got there, and it felt as if his arm was glued to my shoulders.

"You know what?" he said, his eyes lost in some distant place, some distant time. "When your mother told me she was ill and that you would be living with me soon, she was never afraid. She always knew how strong you were." He smiled half heartedly, remembering. And for some seconds I found myself wishing I could read his thoughts so I could see her smile, perfect behind my eyes.

"But I'm scared," I shrugged, my eyes glistened with tears. "I am not strong."

He took my face in his hands, commanding my eyes to meet his. "To be scared doesn't mean you are not strong," he smiled and took me in a hug. "It just means you are human."

I hugged him strongly, and now the tears spilled and wet his gray T-shirt. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, little girl." His voice was faltering toward the end, his chest going up and down unevenly. "Your mother would be so proud of you. So proud."

It felt like just a fraction of a second later when we broke apart. But I took him again in another strong hug before he could say goodbye. I was such a baby.

"Please take care of yourself, Dad." I begged as I definitely let off him. "Please."

"I will," he promised, smiling with his wrinkled eyes. "Now, you take care of yourself, young lady. And you'll see how everything will work out." He winked at me in the end, his tone held such a wisdom that I stared in awe for a moment.

"Bye, Dad." I smiled as I walked to the door. "I'll call you when I get there."

"All right, I'll be waiting for it!" He shouted for me to hear it.

"Dad?" I turned around when I had reached the door, desperately.

"Yes?" He frowned, worried for the urgency of my tone.

"Never let Sue go." I shouted back, almost choking at the end. But it wasn't because of the shout, I knew that.

He smiled. "I won't."

With that, I went to the Passport Control. They were done soon. I took my handbag in my shoulder again and went to find a seat next to my gate.

I sat down and took a deep breath. This was it; I was officially leaving my town with everything that implied and going to College. I chewed my tongue as if that would shut my mind that was threatening to show me what I desperately wouldn't endure.

"Please, please," I hummed to myself, waiting for the time to fly by. My eyes widened when I heard a velvet voice very distant in some place, one too familiar. My eyes started scanning the place in a rush of adrenaline when I stopped abruptly, shaking my head.

I laughed bitterly to myself, I had finally gone crazy. Before I could think anything further, the speakers announced my departure.


	35. Chapter 28 Part 2

A/N: Here is the next part! So sorry for the long wait and thank you for your support and your comments, I appreciate them so much! I hope you enjoy and that you can let me your review of this chapter. As always love constructive criticism and appreciate it very much. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Love,

Emma.

**Btw, Uruguay won fourth place in the FIFA World Cup. So proud of my country and of la más linda, la más hermosa, La Celeste del alma! ****  
Congrats to all the other countries too **

**Chapter 28 (Part 2)**

I sat in the seat next to the aisle as if I were a dead body still breathing. I didn't know if I could close my eyes; I was too afraid of what I could see if I did. To keep my head busy, I opened my handbag, just to notice what was the first thing I had packed completely unconsciously. _Romeo and Juliet_ was almost destroyed of how many times I had read it. I stared at the title for a long minute until my stomach felt finally sick. With a sure movement I put it beyond all my other things and took out my blue iPOD. After purring everything in the compartment above me, I sat down again and fasten my seatbelt as the red sign in front of my eyes was indicating.

I promised myself I wouldn't, but when the pilot announced the take off, I stared out of the window closest to me, just imagining him running... asking me to come back to him. I visualized his emerald green eyes, so perfect, so pure. His impossibly perfect features that made him so unique. I visualized his golden hair moving in unison with the wind.

And then I saw the land leaving me, and the sky joining me instead. With that, I closed my eyes and started to cry.

I woke up with the sound of the speakers asking the passengers to sit down to start landing. My eyes took some seconds to adjust to the lightly plane. It had been so hard to sleep during the night that I was unsure if I had managed to get any sleep at all. My eyelids felt heavy and my head throbbed behind my ears.

"Ugh," I complained as I noticed my legs were numb. I started to stand up to stretch them when I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from behind.

"They are going to tell you to sit down again." The voice was of a male, deep but soft. I turned my eyes to him, frowning.

He was a young man, possibly around my age. His face was nothing too special, pretty average. He had dark hair, not too tidy, not too messy, either. His eyes were dark too, but they caught my attention, because even as dark as they were, they also seemed soft. Just like his voice. He seemed slim but well-built, not too much, though. Nothing like E—

I cut my own trail of thought, speaking myself. I wouldn't endure saying his name.

"It will just be a minute, my legs are numb." I explained, even if I didn't understand why I was explaining myself to a stranger.

"Just wake them up." He smiled. "All right, I'll stand up with you so you are not so ashamed when they ask you to sit down again."

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, how he imagined I would be ashamed if they told me something?

"You don't have to do that," I said a bit warily. Who was this boy?

"But I want to," he stated simply and went to the aisle beside me.

I stared one more time at his eyes, clueless, and then began stretching my legs. The jeans' fabric so tight to my skin wasn't helping.

"You want help?" he asked, stretching his arms to reach my legs.

But I jumped a step backwards before he could touch anything. "No thank you, I can do it alone."

"All right," he laughed, putting his hands up in the air. "You should hurry, though, I'm sure they are coming in less than a minute."

I stared back at him, trying to decipher what was all this about. "What? You are a plane expert or something like that?"

But he didn't get my ironic tone. "Something like that; my father is the owner of an airline in Japan."

"So why are you traveling in Economy Class?" I was sure if his father was the owner of an airline he would have a jet for himself, or at least he would be traveling in First Class.

But when he was about to answer, two flight attendants started walking toward us.

"Told you," he mouthed lowly as they approached us.

"Please go back to your seat; didn't you hear the pilot saying we were landing?" a brunette flight attendant said, her tone strong.

"Do you want to _die_?" the blonde one added at her side, her tone a bit too exaggerated.

The three of us stared at her, surprised. She lowered her eyes to the floor, ashamed.

"Please go back to your seat, we won't say it again." The brunette said one more time as they walked away from us. _"Do you want to die?"_ I heard her repeating to the blonde one, her tone held disbelief as she shook her head from side to side.

"Wow," I said when I was sitting again. "I haven't traveled almost anything, but I swear I have never heard such craziness."

He laughed behind me. "Trust me, I've traveled a lot, and I have never heard someone like this one, either."

The plane shook as it landed, and then, it became still. Everyone was sat until the 'fasten your seatbelt' sign was off. Everyone but the boy behind me. He was already standing, stretching his arms to reach the gray compartments above his head.

"I thought you've said you knew about planes?" I asked him, my tone skeptical.

He laughed about something I didn't quite understand, and then looked down to meet my eyes. "Exactly, but I'm rebel." He took his bag from the compartment and then stared at me one more time. "And besides, no one comes now."

In the same second, the signs turned off and the door of the plane opened. He started walking toward it with such an attitude that it made some passengers stare in awe, some even a bit self conscious.

He got out of the plane fast, the first of everyone. Still scowling, I slowly stood up from my seat and took my handbag. I waited till it was my turn to get out of the machine, I really didn't want to stumble with anyone.

I followed the people that were in the plane, praying that their way was the same as mine. Though deep inside I knew that I was completely lost, no matter what the other passengers' path was. I waited in the line and grabbed my bags as if I were some kind of robot. As if I had forgotten my heart somewhere else.

I placed the bags in a cart and got out of the airport. Breathing deeply, I stared at the city that would now be my home.

Dartmouth University was even better in reality than it was in pictures. But who could I fool? I wasn't in the mood of appreciating a whole new world when I still felt so lost without my previous one.

I passed through College students and teachers as if they were living in a parallel universe. Their laugh and jokes and full of promises eyes didn't resemble to mine even a bit. I was sure that even if my face was hidden pointing to the floor, neither one of them would have looked at me, because I was like an alien in here. I felt that way, anyway.

I walked to the main office with the same posture, but from the corner of my eyes, I still could give a glance to the beauty of this place. This building, as most of the buildings in Dartmouth, was designed in Georgian American colonial style; at least that was what I read in the information of the letter. The office was a big, made of wood and material room. No matter the length; it felt warm. I passed by some leather arm chairs and some paintings of classic times, and then I found the main desk.

It wasn't as crowded as I had first expected, and unconsciously, I exhaled a big amount of air I had had in my system for too long without noticing. I walked to the old lady sat in the desk with surer steps now, my face was a bit more straightened too.

"Hello, I'm Be—Isabella Swan." I said to the lady. She wasn't as old as I had thought, but there was something in her eyes, though… as if she had lived so many things that her eyes had gotten old alone.

"Hello, Isabella Swan," she smiled back and stretched her hand to shake mine. "My name is Lydia. Is nice to meet you. Are you a new student, Isabella?"

"Yes," I gulped. A new student, of a University… it felt too big. "And, I'm Bella."

She nodded, then smiled. As if she had read my mind, her eyes turned understanding toward the end. "Well, Bella, you will have to give me your personal information so we can find your room and who is your roommate."

I nodded and gulped again.

It took about twenty minutes to fill up the last form and had the key to my room with me.  
A man guided me to the floor my room was located then to my room, all the way I was thinking of my roommate. How would she be? Would she be nice with me or not? More similar to Angela or to Jessica? I irrationally grumbled when I pronounced the last name, even if she had proved me wrong yesterday in my house. But questions wouldn't stop nevertheless. How would this relationship be? I had never had a sister... would this be similar to that?

"Here we are. Room number 620." The man's voice brought me back to reality. He put the rest of my luggage in the floor and smiled at me. "If you need anything just let us know and we will do whatever we can to help you." Though I knew he intended to sound genuine, the phrase was too perfectly well achieved to be spontaneous.

I smiled anyway. "Thank you." I waited for him to be out of my view to exhale deeply. I was still too broken and now also really nervous. "Come on, Bella, just woman up and start your life already." I said lowly to myself once, and then stared at the white door of my new room.

I looked at it once, and then again, and again. I stared for an incredibly long time at the silver number that was painted in the door that would have meant nothing if it had found another person not as lunatic as I sure was. At that same time the man voice sounded in my head repeatedly, "Room number 620."

I laughed sarcastically, then. 620. 6/20 - Edward's birthday. I shook my head. My twisted mind always thinking of some way, no matter how complex or weird it was, to stay connected to the only think I was sure I could never, ever be disconnected no matter what.

And then the door was opened from inside.

"Hi! You must be Isabella!" a cheering girl said to me, smiling hugely. I jumped a foot backwards unconsciously; I really wasn't used to that much cheer of someone I had just known.

"Bella," I corrected, tilting my head. "And you are…Carmen, right?"

"Mhm, that's me!" she smiled at me, again. Carmen's accent had a little of Spanish… and so did her face. She had pretty brown eyes and long, straight dark hair. Her skin tone was also darker than mine - well, that was not so difficult to achieve, anyway. She was taller and I was pretty sure that also thinner than me. But it didn't seem on purpose as some girls nowadays; she seemed healthy, as if that was another of her corporal characteristics.

"Nice to meet you, Carmen." This was true though, she seemed nice. And even if I didn't want to recognize it, I needed of some savor in my life, of someone that would always be with a smile on their face.

"Nice to meet you too."

She helped me with my bags and leaded me inside the room. It was really simple, cream and white, two beds, two desks and a bathroom. It wasn't that big but it wasn't that little either. There was something missing, though, and deep inside I knew what was.

"Pick a bed." Carmen ordered before my legs started shaking. She pointed with her finger to the two beds before us with thrill.

I shrugged. "I don't mind, you pick."

"Really? You don't mind?"

"Absolutely." I tried to grin back so she would notice I was being sincere.

"Yay! Well, I love the sun, so I pick this one." She dived to the bed beyond the window.

Her childish reaction made me want to laugh, but I was still too dispirited. I took the bed that was closer to the door and put my handbag there. I stretched my body a little bit and closed my eyes. A minute later, when I opened them, Carmen was already by my side with her questionnaire in mind.

"I'm from Guadalajara, Mexico, but I've been living here in Hanover since I was one year old. Anyway, I have the personality of my mother, who is latina a todo corazón." She smiled, proud of her origins. "Where are you from, Belly? You don't mind if I call you Belly, do you?"

My head was a bit dizzy with so many words received together in such a short period of time. But I smiled softly anyway, she was what I needed right now, she wouldn't let me alone with my mind for more than a minute, and now, that was the best thing that could happen to me. "Um, not at all, Belly is nice. I'm from Forks, Washington."

"Awesome! I heard it rains pretty badly down there, how do you manage to survive?" she said theatrically, pulling her hair with her hands.

Now the laughter was reaching me, but not entirely. "I don't know, you get used to it, I guess. Besides, with my pale skin I would be all the time red if I lived in a too sunny place. Leaving on a side the fact that I'm red almost 24/7 because I blush at every possible conversation." I didn't know why I was telling her all this, she just seemed like a reliable person.

"Oh, Belly! I'll sure help you with that shyness, you'll see. So you've got a boyfriend?" she asked childishly.

And my stomach squeezed in pain, the words where now buried deep inside my body, no matter how nice she seemed.

"Are you okay?" Carmen said, examining my torn features.

"Mhm," I tried to nod.

She examined my eyes now. "Really? It seems like you are about to cry..."

I hadn't noticed that, but it sure made sense. I gulped heavily and pulled myself together. This was my life right now, better embrace it. "No, I don't have a boyfriend."

"Oh, me neither. But I'm sure we are going to meet some nice niños, huh?"

I was sure niños meant boys in Spanish. And my stomach squeezed again. I clearly wasn't trying to meet anyone right now, that was the least thing on my list at this moment. But she felt too thrill with the idea, so I tried to smile back.

She grinned again, enjoying herself. Then her eyes got lost for some seconds, and when they came back to me, the grin was bigger than ever. "Oh, I have an idea! Come with me, I have someone I want you to meet." She took my hand before waiting for an answer and flew me all along the corridor until we stopped in the last room.

"Who am I meeting?" I said a bit scared; meeting new people was one of the scariest part of life according to my mind.

"It's just my good friend Dylan." She smiled, thrilled. This girl remembered me of Alice in some ways... and even if the whole in my chest thumbed, I was relieved that I would feel a bit at home in this completely new world for me.

Someone opened the door in that second, and my eyes widened with recognition.

"_You_?" I mouthed to the long, familiar male figure I had in front of me.

"I should be asking the same thing." He replied, but amusement filled his tone unlike mine.

"You knew each other?" Carmen asked, surprised.

"No, he just stalked me in the plane."

He laughed, showing off white teeth. "I didn't _stalk_ you in the plane, I was just giving you some personal advises."

"No need." I muttered, folding my arms across my chest.

He sighed deeply and then met my eyes. "I still don't know your name."

I thought for some seconds.

"Bella," Carmen squeaked before I could say anything.

I knew his, but even if I hadn't, I was sure I wouldn't ask him.

"That's the first name that came to my mind when I saw you." Dylan said with a deep voice, his eyes were too intent on mine. And that made me feel self conscious.

I arched an eyebrow at his strange reply. "It's not a common name."

"I never said I thought you were common."

I blushed, but just because I felt uncomfortable.

"Bella...," his eyes were lost in somewhere of the room as he said the word.

"What?" I managed to answer even if I felt the burn had ripped my voice off.

He looked at me and smiled. "Nothing, just like how good it sounds."

Before he could say anything more awkward, I turned around and got out of the room.

"Belly, where are you going-" But before Carmen could finish her question, I had already shut the door of the room.

Something vibrated in my bag when I was in the corridor, reaching my room again, and before I could even think about it, _It's raining men_ filled the place. I opened the zip and took the blue cell phone in my hands as fast as possible, and as I tried to erase these impossible to erase memories, I stared at the ID caller; hopeless now, because I knew it would never be him.

"Hi Dad," I smiled as much as my destroyed system would let me. "Sorry I didn't call, promise I was about to."

"Bell, you forgot I know you before you even knew you?" Charlie laughed quietly on the other side of the line. "How is everything going? Is it pretty? Are they being nice with you? Shall I go and kick some-"

"Dad," I stopped him, biting my bottom lip I surrender. "I'm just fine, really. And they are all treating me really gently, don't worry. Your little girl isn't that little anymore, remember?"

It took some seconds till the line was busy with words again. And Charlie's voice was deeper now, tired. "I know you are, trust me," he breathed heavily. "But you can't forget you'll always be my little girl no matter what. And that I'm here fot you. Just ask and I'll be there as fast as possible, 'kay?"

"'Kay." I smiled; the most genuine smiled I had in hours. I lay back in the wall, enjoying how much speaking with my father relaxed me.

"So I have to tell you something..."

"All right..." My heart started beating faster for no reason and my legs trembled a little bit.

"Maybe you are not gonna like it."

"What is it, Dad?" my legs trembled even more now, and my teeth ground unexpectedly. Okay, maybe speaking with my father didn't relax me as much as I thought.

He stayed quiet for a little time and then he spoke again, and he sounded happy. "I spoke with Billy Black today. And I know I hate his son for what he did to you and that I can't even pronunce his name, but Billy apologized to me, even if he had nothing to do with it. And I know I should have never spoke to any Black again, but the truth is he is my oldest friend and I sometimes miss him, you know? We both have similar lives, both of our wives died, both have teenage children... He invited me to go listen the Quillette legends as we always used to do before everything happened. And I understand if you don't want me to go, just tell me and-"

"Dad, Dad," I almost yelled through the speaker, trying to make a room for my point of view in this matter. But the joy in my voice was difficult to control and the words came out a bit distorted. "That is the most amazing news you could have given me. You don't know how happy makes me to know friendship triumphed somewhere. As you said, Billy had nothing to do with what Jacob did to me, that was Jacob's and mine problem, and I think I could handle it pretty well. So just... enjoy your friend, all right? Because you really never know when you will lose him."

I heard him sighing in relief. "I'm glad to hear that, Bell. Thank you. And you know what? You should never lose hope, people can always impress you. You really never know."

_People who actually care about you, could._ My mind snapped instantly. And a bitter taste filled my mouth. "Dad, I want to go have a little rest before tonight's welcoming party, 'kay?"

"'Kay, little girl. Sleep well and just relax, have fun. It's only one lifetime chance you get to go to college, try to enjoy, all right?"

I breathed deeply. "Yeah, I will. Love you."

"Love you more." I could picture him smiling at me before the line went dead.

I almost crawled to my room, my legs felt too heavy to move them normally. I opened the door of my new home with a strange feeling in the tip of my stomach. I didn't know what was it but my body was telling me that something was different.

When I entered to the room that same strange feeling surrounded me completely, and then I understood why.

_**'Romeo and Juliet'**_

I tried to breathe, to make my system react in some way. But it was totally paralyzed. No cell of my body was responding. My legs couldn't shook, my heart couldn't pound, my hands couldn't sweat, my mind couldn't think. Only my eyes worked, and they were completely focused on the book lying in the bed closest to the door. I didn't know what was it, because my legs were completely dead in that moment, but something leaded me to the bed. And so my hands responded to take the book in them. I touched its surface as if it were pure gold, and with the most delicate of movements, I opened it.

_**I lied. I do believe in Romeo. At least I have found my Juliet, today and always.**_

I read it again and again, not really believing my eyes. And though it felt as if I had been reading it for hours, I knew it had been just seconds. I heard steps sounding behind me; they were slow, sure. And then I smelled an aroma so amazingly perfect, that it was impossible it existed. But it did exist, and it had existed for eleven amazing years in my life.

"Turn around."


End file.
